Kern, California Air Quality

Kern County, California (CA)

↓ Improvingover 10 years

Air Quality Grade

42/100

Current Median AQI

Moderate

5-Year Avg AQI

-28

10-Year Change

Better

109

Unhealthy Days/yr

5-year average

Ozone

Primary Pollutant

Ground-Level Ozone

10-Year AQI Trend

The solid line shows the median AQI each year. The dashed line shows the 90th percentile (worst 10% of days). This area has seen measurable air quality improvement over the decade.

Air Quality Day Breakdown

Number of days per year in each EPA AQI category. Green = Good (AQI 0-50), Yellow = Moderate (51-100), Orange = Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Red = Unhealthy or worse (151+).

Year-by-Year Data

Year	Median AQI	90th Pct	Max AQI	Good Days	Moderate	Unhealthy+	Pollutant
2023	69	122	174	85	210	70	Ozone
2022	80	136	289	47	196	122	Ozone
2021	84	147	314	35	202	128	PM2.5
2020	83	140	267	56	180	130	Ozone
2019	69	122	553	91	179	95	Ozone
2018	84	142	190	45	190	130	Ozone
2017	85	140	197	59	167	139	Ozone
2016	80	136	169	46	204	116	Ozone
2015	84	146	201	23	220	122	Ozone
2014	97	154	307	17	188	160	Ozone

What This Means for Kern County Residents

Kern, California has received an Air Quality Grade of D (42/100) based on a decade of EPA monitoring data. The current median AQI of 69 falls in the "Moderate" range.

Encouragingly, air quality here has been improving, with the median AQI dropping by 28 points over the monitoring period. This trend suggests continued investment in emission controls and cleaner energy.

The primary pollutant affecting this area is Ground-Level Ozone. Over the past 5 years, this area has averaged 109 unhealthy air quality days per year — days when sensitive groups (children, elderly, those with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor activity.