Is Yellow Medicine County, MN a radon risk area?

EPA places Yellow Medicine County in Zone 1 - Highest Potential — a predicted county-wide average indoor radon level above 4 pCi/L, based on the geology, soil and aerial radioactivity data behind EPA's national map. Yellow Medicine County sits at the 75th percentile nationally for radon potential — above 75 of every 100 rated counties.

Where Yellow Medicine County sits nationally

About 9,373 people live in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota, spread over 759.101 square miles. Population density there runs about 12 people per square mile. Rank 783 by population within its EPA zone puts Yellow Medicine County at the 27th percentile among zone peers. Yellow Medicine County falls in EPA Radon Region 5, one of 524 counties nationally EPA assigns to that same geologic province.

Why the zone isn't the answer by itself

Yellow Medicine 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. A Zone 1 rating means testing is worth doing sooner rather than later, but it is still county-wide average, not a reading for any single house — some homes in Yellow Medicine County will test well under the action level, and EPA's guidance is to test regardless of zone.

If Yellow Medicine County tests above the action level

Nothing about Yellow Medicine 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

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

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