Is Rice County, MN a radon risk area?

Rice 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 Rice County lands in the 92nd percentile for radon potential.

How Rice County compares

About 69,025 people live in Rice County, Minnesota, spread over 495.799 square miles. That works out to roughly 139 people per square mile. Rank 247 by population within its EPA zone puts Rice County at the 77th percentile among zone peers. EPA's geology-based Region 5 groups Rice County with 523 other counties nationally sharing its underlying rock and soil profile.

What this actually means for a house in Rice County

Rice County carries a Zone 1 label because its predicted average clears 4 pCi/L outright — three-plus times the 0.4 pCi/L typical outdoors and above the 1.3 pCi/L most homes see. Some Rice County homes will test comfortably under the action level despite the county's Zone 1 rating — the only way to know which kind of home you have is an actual test.

If Rice County tests above the action level

Nothing about Rice 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 Minnesota's state radon program

Rice County's test kit answers today; a Airthings radon monitor keeps answering for Rice County over time. Affiliate link, RadonZoneCheck earns a commission there, at no extra cost to you. RADONZONE-10OFF at checkout knocks 10% off.

More on how this number was built

Rice 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.