Lake, Illinois Air Quality
Lake County, Illinois (IL)
↑ Worseningover 10 years
10-Year AQI Trend
The solid line shows the median AQI each year. The dashed line shows the 90th percentile (worst 10% of days). Air quality in this area has been declining over the past 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 | 42 | 84 | 179 | 182 | 47 | 14 | Ozone |
| 2022 | 39 | 64 | 159 | 199 | 41 | 3 | Ozone |
| 2021 | 42 | 77 | 136 | 180 | 55 | 9 | Ozone |
| 2020 | 39 | 74 | 185 | 199 | 31 | 11 | Ozone |
| 2019 | 40 | 58 | 115 | 210 | 33 | 2 | Ozone |
| 2018 | 35 | 58 | 164 | 304 | 40 | 8 | Ozone |
| 2017 | 35 | 54 | 129 | 316 | 35 | 7 | Ozone |
| 2016 | 34 | 54 | 140 | 306 | 32 | 8 | Ozone |
| 2015 | 35 | 49 | 122 | 332 | 27 | 3 | Ozone |
| 2014 | 35 | 51 | 129 | 317 | 33 | 5 | Ozone |
What This Means for Lake County Residents
Lake, Illinois has received an Air Quality Grade of C (55/100) based on a decade of EPA monitoring data. The current median AQI of 42 falls in the "Good" range.
Concerning trends show air quality has been declining, with the median AQI rising by 7 points over the monitoring period. This could be driven by increased development, wildfire smoke, or industrial activity.
The primary pollutant affecting this area is Ground-Level Ozone. Over the past 5 years, this area has averaged 8 unhealthy air quality days per year — days when sensitive groups (children, elderly, those with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor activity.