Jackson County, IA: EPA's radon zone, explained

Jackson County is mapped as Zone 1 - Highest Potential by EPA — meaning the county-wide average indoor level is predicted above 4 pCi/L. Rank it against the rest of the country and Jackson County lands in the 81st percentile for radon potential.

Where Jackson County sits nationally

Jackson County, Iowa is home to about 19,390 people across 636.047 square miles. That works out to roughly 30 people per square mile. By population, Jackson County is the 585th largest of every county sharing its EPA zone — the 45th percentile by population within that zone. EPA's geology-based Region 7 groups Jackson County with 411 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Zone vs. an actual test

Outdoor air nationally averages about 0.4 pCi/L, indoor air about 1.3 pCi/L — Jackson 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 Jackson County specifically.

Next steps for a home in Jackson County

For a Jackson 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 Iowa's state radon program

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

Where Jackson County's figures come from

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.