Gaston County, NC: EPA's radon zone, explained

Gaston County is mapped as Zone 2 - Moderate Potential by EPA — meaning the county-wide average indoor level is predicted between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Nationally that's the 63rd percentile for radon potential — Gaston County outranks 63% of every county EPA has rated.

Gaston County by the numbers

Gaston County, North Carolina is home to about 242,010 people across 355.751 square miles. Averaged across its land area, Gaston County runs about 680 people per square mile. By population, Gaston County is the 97th largest of every county sharing its EPA zone — the 91st percentile by population within that zone. EPA's geology-based Region 4 groups Gaston County with 735 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Why the zone isn't the answer by itself

Call it a middle case: above the 1.3 pCi/L most US homes average, below the 4 pCi/L line EPA uses to recommend mitigation — that's Gaston County's Zone 2 prediction. Middle-of-the-pack doesn't mean risk-free for any one Gaston County address — a moderate county average still leaves individual homes to test either side of it.

Testing and mitigation in Gaston County

For a Gaston County homeowner, the order is simple: test first, since a kit costs a small fraction of what mitigation would. Only if the result clears 4 pCi/L does a system — typically $800–$2,500, about $1,200 for a common install — become worth pricing out.

Find North Carolina's state radon program

For Gaston County, an ongoing number beats a one-time test - a Airthings radon monitor tracks Gaston County's levels over time. RadonZoneCheck earns a commission there, at no extra cost to you. Use code RADONZONE-10OFF at checkout for 10% off.

Where Gaston County's figures come from

Gaston County's zone, rank and region all trace back to named EPA and Census sources — the methodology guide lists exactly which ones. If you're unsure why a low zone still deserves a test, the zone explainer covers that directly.