Is Putnam County, WV a radon risk area?

Putnam 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. That puts Putnam County in the 56th percentile nationally for radon potential — higher than 56% of the counties EPA has rated.

How Putnam County compares

About 57,067 people live in Putnam County, West Virginia, spread over 345.679 square miles. That works out to roughly 165 people per square mile. Rank 318 by population within its EPA zone puts Putnam County at the 69th percentile among zone peers. EPA's geology-based Region 3 groups Putnam County with 244 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

Zone vs. an actual test

Putnam County's predicted average falls between EPA's 4 pCi/L action level and the national indoor average of about 1.3 pCi/L (outdoor air runs roughly 0.4 pCi/L). A county-wide moderate average, like Putnam County's, can still hide a specific house well above or below it — testing is what actually answers the question.

Next steps for a home in Putnam County

Nothing about Putnam 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 West Virginia's state radon program

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

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.