Is Appanoose County, IA a radon risk area?

EPA places Appanoose County in Zone 1 - Highest Potential — a predicted county-wide average indoor radon level above 4 pCi/L, based on the geology, soil and aerial radioactivity data behind EPA's national map. That puts Appanoose County in the 77th percentile nationally for radon potential — higher than 77% of the counties EPA has rated.

Where Appanoose County sits nationally

About 12,106 people live in Appanoose County, Iowa, spread over 497.299 square miles. That works out to roughly 24 people per square mile. Rank 717 by population within its EPA zone puts Appanoose County at the 33rd percentile among zone peers. EPA's geology-based Region 7 groups Appanoose County with 411 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Why the zone isn't the answer by itself

Appanoose County carries a Zone 1 label because its predicted average clears 4 pCi/L outright — three-plus times the 0.4 pCi/L typical outdoors and above the 1.3 pCi/L most homes see. That doesn't mean every Appanoose County house tests high — a zone is a county-wide prediction, never a single-home reading — but it's a reason to test sooner rather than let it wait.

Testing and mitigation in Appanoose County

Nothing about Appanoose County's EPA zone changes the mitigation number: $800–$2,500 nationally (around $1,200 typical), set by the house's foundation rather than the county it sits in — and only relevant once a test actually clears 4 pCi/L.

Find Iowa's state radon program

Appanoose County's test kit answers today; a Airthings radon monitor keeps answering for Appanoose County over time. Affiliate link, RadonZoneCheck earns a commission there, at no extra cost to you. Code RADONZONE-10OFF takes 10% off at checkout.

More on how this number was built

Every figure on this page traces to EPA's own Map of Radon Zones and Census data, documented in the methodology guide. If you're unsure why a low zone still deserves a test, the zone explainer covers that directly.