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AirHistory

Somerset, Pennsylvania Air Quality

Somerset County, Pennsylvania (PA)

Stableover 10 years

Reviewed by AirHistory Editorial Team · Updated
B
Air Quality Grade
70/100
35
Current Median AQI
Good
35
5-Year Avg AQI
-1
10-Year Change
Better
0
Unhealthy Days/yr
5-year average
Ozone
Primary Pollutant
Ground-Level Ozone

How Somerset, Pennsylvania Air Quality Compares

Somerset, Pennsylvania's median AQI of 35is 15% better than the national average of 41. The area rarely experiences unhealthy air quality days. The primary pollutant of concern is Ground-Level Ozone.

Somerset, Pennsylvania Air Quality: The Full Picture

Somerset, Pennsylvania (Somerset County) holds an AirHistory Air Quality Grade of B (good, scoring 70 out of 100), built from 10 years of EPA Air Quality System monitoring. Its median AQI fell 1 points between 2014 (36) and 2023 (35), and the five-year median now sits at 35 — inside the "Good" band on the EPA scale.

The pollutant driving most of the area's AQI readings is Ground-Level Ozone. In 2023, it set the daily AQI on 365 of 365 monitored days (100% of the year), making it the controlling pollutant for the B grade. The single worst reading logged that year hit an AQI of 93 (Moderate), while the 90th-percentile day — the level the dirtiest 10% of days reach — came in at 49.

In 2023, Somerset County recorded 333 "Good" air days (91% of the 365 days with valid AQI data), 32 "Moderate" days, and 0 days at "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" or above. Over the most recent five years on record, monitors logged no days that crossed into "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" or worse.

The decade-long trend is essentially flat, with year-to-year median AQI shifting by less than 0.13 points per year on average. The cleanest year in the record was 2018 (median AQI 33), and the most polluted was 2014 (median AQI 36). Because the data come straight from federally certified EPA monitors, these figures track the Pennsylvania county the monitors physically sit in rather than a city boundary.

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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 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

YearMedian AQI90th PctMax AQIGood DaysModerateUnhealthy+Pollutant
2023354993333320Ozone
202234459035190Ozone
2021344790339240Ozone
202034447135780Ozone
2019364880340190Ozone
2018334790330270Ozone
2017364797342210Ozone
20163650105324321Ozone
2015344877272150Ozone
2014364797346160Ozone

What This Means for Somerset County Residents

Somerset, Pennsylvania has received an Air Quality Grade of B (70/100) based on a decade of monitoring data from the EPA's air quality monitoring program. The current median AQI of 35 falls in the "Good" range.

The primary pollutant affecting this area is Ground-Level Ozone. Over the past 5 years, this area has averaged 0 unhealthy air quality days per year, days when sensitive groups (children, elderly, those with respiratory conditions) should limit outdoor activity. The American Lung Association's State of the Air report provides additional context on long-term health risks from air pollution exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Somerset, Pennsylvania has a current median AQI of 35, which falls in the "Good" range. The area has received an Air Quality Grade of B (70/100) based on 10 years of EPA monitoring data.

Air quality in Somerset, Pennsylvania is stable over the past decade. The median AQI has changed by -1 points from 2014 to 2023.

Somerset, Pennsylvania averages 0 unhealthy air quality days per year over the past 5 years. On these days, sensitive groups including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions should limit outdoor activity.

The primary pollutant affecting Somerset, Pennsylvania is Ground-Level Ozone. This is the dominant contributor to elevated AQI readings in the Somerset County area.

Somerset, Pennsylvania averages 0 unhealthy air days per year. This is relatively low, making it a reasonable choice for asthma sufferers. The primary pollutant is Ground-Level Ozone, which is a known asthma trigger.

With a median AQI of 35 (Good), outdoor exercise in Somerset, Pennsylvania is generally safe year-round. Somerset, Pennsylvania averages 0 days per year when athletes should move workouts indoors.

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