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

EPA places Pender County in Zone 3 - Low Potential — a predicted county-wide average indoor radon level below 2 pCi/L, based on the geology, soil and aerial radioactivity data behind EPA's national map. Rank it against the rest of the country and Pender County lands in the 24th percentile for radon potential.

Pender County by the numbers

Pender County, North Carolina is home to about 70,077 people across 871.3 square miles. Averaged across its land area, Pender County runs about 80 people per square mile. By population, Pender County is the 270th largest of every county sharing its EPA zone — the 74th percentile by population within that zone. EPA's geology-based Region 4 groups Pender County with 735 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Zone vs. an actual test

Pender County's predicted average sits below the national indoor average of about 1.3 pCi/L, well under EPA's 4 pCi/L action level. Even at Zone 3, Pender County homes are not guaranteed a low reading — zone is a county-wide average, and EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.

Testing and mitigation in Pender County

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

Where Pender County's figures come from

The methodology guide shows exactly which EPA and Census sources feed Pender County's numbers. Whatever zone Pender County carries, the zone explainer covers what it does and doesn't tell you about any one house.