Is Bedford County, TN a radon risk area?

EPA places Bedford 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. Nationally, Bedford County ranks higher in radon potential than 91% of rated counties (the 91st percentile).

How Bedford County compares

About 54,228 people live in Bedford County, Tennessee, spread over 473.639 square miles. That works out to roughly 114 people per square mile. Rank 295 by population within its EPA zone puts Bedford County at the 72nd percentile among zone peers. EPA's geology-based Region 4 groups Bedford County with 735 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Why the zone isn't the answer by itself

Outdoor air nationally averages about 0.4 pCi/L, indoor air about 1.3 pCi/L — Bedford County's Zone 1 prediction clears both of those and EPA's fix-it threshold besides. EPA's guidance doesn't change because of a Zone 1 label: test the house. What changes is the reason to not put it off in Bedford County specifically.

Testing and mitigation in Bedford County

Nothing about Bedford 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 Tennessee's state radon program

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

More on how this number was built

Bedford County's zone, rank and region all trace back to named EPA and Census sources — the methodology guide lists exactly which ones. Whatever zone Bedford County carries, the zone explainer covers what it does and doesn't tell you about any one house.