Community
Air Quality

Decreasing


Days with Good Air Quality

What does this measure?

The percentage of days for which air quality was monitored and found to be good, indicating healthy air both for sensitive groups, such as people with asthma, and for the population as a whole. The Air Quality Index (AQI) summarizes levels of ground-level ozone, particulate matter (soot and other particles), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide into one measure.

Why is this important?

Air quality is increasingly recognized as a "social determinant of health": a condition determined by the community in which one lives that is external to an individual person's control but has an impact on their health and well-being.

How does our county compare?

In 2023, 47% of days in Lancaster were healthy air days, below 54% in 2010. The year with the fewest healthy air days was 2014, at 34%. Lancaster lags behind its peer counties in air quality: in 2023, Berks had 69% of its days with good air quality, Chester had 76%, Cumberland had 77%, Dauphin had 61%, Lebanon had 69% and York had 71%. The air quality of Cumberland, Chester and York have all increased by significant amounts since 2010.

Notes about the data

Comparable national and state data is not available due to the quantity and location of EPA monitoring stations. Exposure to these pollutants can cause short-term health effects such as irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and shortness of breath. Continued exposure can also worsen medical conditions such as asthma and heart disease. Data for this indicator are expected to be released annually in July.

Days with Good Air Quality
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Lancaster County64%58%61%62%62%56%62%58%66%56%54%42%42%56%34%51%51%56%67%65%70%51%42%47%
Berks County61%56%58%62%64%61%66%62%70%62%61%53%49%56%58%56%61%67%74%76%77%72%78%69%
Chester County73%47%43%51%52%46%54%47%57%44%47%52%60%61%60%53%62%61%75%73%83%80%84%76%
Cumberland County47%43%48%46%47%47%56%51%54%48%44%47%58%61%61%58%76%80%74%73%80%76%81%77%
Dauphin County50%37%45%39%41%39%48%45%49%57%54%55%53%53%56%51%68%75%76%78%76%67%72%61%
York County57%57%55%64%58%51%61%54%62%53%51%44%49%61%64%55%64%73%73%82%82%68%76%71%
Lebanon County58%47%60%53%61%52%50%71%77%85%74%79%69%

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Notes: Data were not available for the state or for some counties because they do not have air quality monitoring stations.




Number of Days with Good Air Quality
200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Lancaster County236211224228228203227211241203196152153205125185187205246238258186153170
Berks County222203213226234221206168257227222195178204212206222246270279280264285253
Chester County88100111134131116135120147153165180214221216195228221270266296278307275
Cumberland County135148165161162162188169193174161170212223221210276287270268292278292280
Dauphin County182135165144149143175164179208196199195194205185250275279286277241263223
York County207207201233214187223198227192185159181223232200236266268299301244277253
Lebanon County176173220193224189181260278144269289253

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Notes: Data were not available for the state or for some counties because they do not have air quality monitoring stations.




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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