Counties with the Worst Air Quality in North Carolina
The top 25 of 35 North Carolina counties on GIS Map, ranked by median Air Quality Index, counting only counties that host an EPA air monitor.
| # | County | Median AQI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham County | 51 |
| 2 | Mecklenburg County | 51 |
| 3 | Forsyth County | 47 |
| 4 | Cumberland County | 46 |
| 5 | Wake County | 46 |
| 6 | Graham County | 44 |
| 7 | Guilford County | 44 |
| 8 | Haywood County | 44 |
| 9 | Rowan County | 44 |
| 10 | Yancey County | 44 |
| 11 | Buncombe County | 43 |
| 12 | Davidson County | 43 |
| 13 | Johnston County | 43 |
| 14 | Rockingham County | 43 |
| 15 | Catawba County | 42 |
| 16 | Granville County | 42 |
| 17 | Montgomery County | 42 |
| 18 | Alexander County | 41 |
| 19 | Union County | 41 |
| 20 | Caldwell County | 40 |
| 21 | Lincoln County | 40 |
| 22 | New Hanover County | 39 |
| 23 | Person County | 39 |
| 24 | Avery County | 38 |
| 25 | Caswell County | 38 |
Source: EPA Air Quality Index annual summary (2024). All counties with data are ranked. Estimates carry margins of error.
Citing this page: GIS Map, “Counties with the Worst Air Quality in North Carolina”, https://gismap.land/rankings/north-carolina/worst-air-quality-counties. Figures from EPA Air Quality Index annual summary (2024).
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