Is Franklin County, NE a radon risk area?

EPA places Franklin 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 Franklin County in the 68th percentile nationally for radon potential — higher than 68% of the counties EPA has rated.

How Franklin County compares

About 2,817 people live in Franklin County, Nebraska, spread over 575.816 square miles. That works out to roughly 5 people per square mile. Rank 988 by population within its EPA zone puts Franklin County at the 7th percentile among zone peers. Geologically, Franklin County is grouped into EPA Region 7 alongside 411 other counties that share its rock and soil setting.

What this actually means for a house in Franklin County

Where the national indoor average runs about 1.3 pCi/L, Franklin County's Zone 1 rating puts its predicted county average above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level itself. 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 Franklin County specifically.

If Franklin County tests above the action level

Nothing about Franklin 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 Nebraska's state radon program

Franklin County's test kit answers today; a Airthings radon monitor keeps answering for Franklin 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

Franklin County's zone, rank and region all trace back to named EPA and Census sources — the methodology guide lists exactly which ones. The guide to what a radon zone actually means covers why testing matters in every zone, not just Zone 1.