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Radon Levels in Bureau County, Illinois

EPA puts Bureau County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 58.6% of the 333 radon tests reported to CDC (2017) came back at or above 4 pCi/L. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so only a test measures yours.

Data checked By Radon411Methodology

How to test this homeFind a certified tester

  • Share at 4+ pCi/L

    58.6%

    24.9 pts above IL

    Bureau
    58.6%
    Illinois
    33.7%

    333 tests, 2017

  • Median result

    5.1pCi/L

    Action level reached

    Bureau
    5.1 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2017

  • Tests reported

    333

    34th of 70 by tests

    Bureau
    333
    Cook
    26,937

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2017

  • EPA radon zone

    Zone 1

    Highest potential

    1. Zone 1
    2. 2
    3. 3

    1 highest, 3 lowest

    EPA predicts over 4 pCi/L indoors

  • Rank in Illinois

    7 of 70

    Top quarter

    Bureau
    58.6%
    Stark
    69.2%

    By share, of 70 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Bureau County

Starts at Bureau County's median, 5.1 pCi/L

5.1pCi/L

EPA’s own thresholds; the figures are the area’s, never this home’s.

EPA’s reading of 5.1 pCi/L

At or above 4 pCi/L

  1. Under 20 to 1.9 pCi/L
  2. 2 to 4consider a fix
  3. 4 and aboveEPA says fix it

This result is at or above 4 pCi/L. EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. Bureau County's median reported result, 2017.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Bureau County, At a glance

Bureau County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Bureau County in and predicts an average indoor of greater than 4 pCi/L (greater than 150 Bq/m³) across the county. That is one forecast for the whole county, not a reading of any address in it; homes above EPA's turn up in all three zones.

USGS geologic potential: High across 100% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Bureau County, 2017

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Bureau County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Bureau County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201467.1%
201578.2%
201666.7%
201758.6%

2017: 58.6%. Across these years the share ran from 58.6% to 78.2%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

These are the 333 tests reported to CDC for Bureau County over 2017, many from homes being sold or already suspected of a problem: they describe the county's reported tests, not this house.

Measured: CDC tracking data. Figure above: 2017. Measured data period: 2005 to 2017 (every CDC figure on file).

How to read these figures

Bureau County, Compared

Bureau County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

More than half: 58.6% of the 333 radon tests reported to CDC for Bureau County in 2017 read at least 4 pCi/L. That places it 7th of 70 Illinois counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. That is 24.9 points above the 33.7% pooled from 93 Illinois counties.

The median result, 5.1 pCi/L, sits above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, and the top reported result was 44.0 pCi/L. The rest split 20.7% under 2 pCi/L and 20.7% from 2 to 4 (Illinois: 37.7% and 28.6%). Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 58.6% share point the same way here.

1 of its 7 bordering counties with figures ran higher, led by Stark County at 69.2%; Whiteside County reported 43.1%. Statewide for the same period, Stark County reported the highest share (69.2%) and Williamson County the lowest (8.4%).

The busiest year on file was 2014, with 420 tests reported; the quietest, 2016, had 18.

Over 3 years of annual figures the share fell 8.5 points, from 67.1% in 2014 to 58.6% in 2017; its peak was 78.2% in 2015. Nationally, every county with a figure for the same period pools to 31.7%; Bureau County sits 26.9 points above it.

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Bureau County against Illinois2014 to 2017, years with 30 or more tests: Bureau County 67.1% to 58.6%, the state's pooled share 33.7% in 2017.
Bureau CountyIllinois, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Bureau County against Illinois: data table
YearTestsBureau County, at or above 4 pCi/LIllinois, pooled
201442067.1%37.8%
201516578.2%36.6%
201733358.6%33.7%
Bureau County against Illinois, the United States and nearby counties, 2017
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Bureau County
Bureau County33358.6%5.1 pCi/LThis county
Illinois, pooled93 counties, pooled138,00633.7%Not pooled−24.9 points
United States, pooled937 counties, pooled528,06231.7%Not pooled−26.9 points
Mercer Countyhighest in the state6668.2%5.5 pCi/L+9.6 points
Williamson Countylowest in the state2498.4%0.9 pCi/L−50.2 points
Stark County, ILborders it3969.2%5.8 pCi/L+10.6 points
Henry County, ILborders it42055.7%4.6 pCi/L−2.9 points
Putnam County, ILborders it4553.3%4.5 pCi/L−5.3 points
Marshall County, ILborders it8148.1%3.8 pCi/L−10.5 points
LaSalle County, ILborders it1,00245.8%3.6 pCi/L−12.8 points
Lee County, ILborders it21943.8%3.3 pCi/L−14.8 points
Whiteside County, ILborders it69643.1%3.3 pCi/L−15.5 points
Where Bureau County's reported results fell, 2017, beside Illinois and the United States
ResultBureau County testsBureau County shareIllinois shareU.S. shareAgainst Illinois
Under 2 pCi/L6920.7%37.7%43.5%−17.0 points
2 to 4 pCi/L6920.7%28.6%24.8%−7.9 points
4 pCi/L and above19558.6%33.7%31.7%+24.9 points
Bureau County ranked among the 70 Illinois counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Mercer County2 of 706668.2%5.5 pCi/L
Morgan County3 of 7038166.9%6.5 pCi/L
Fulton County4 of 7014464.6%5.8 pCi/L
Carroll County5 of 7021062.9%5.5 pCi/L
Livingston County6 of 7034561.7%5.3 pCi/L
Bureau County7 of 7033358.6%5.1 pCi/L
Stephenson County8 of 7051957.2%4.8 pCi/L
De Witt County9 of 7012657.1%5.2 pCi/L
Ford County9 of 704257.1%4.0 pCi/L
Knox County11 of 7024956.6%4.7 pCi/L
Henry County12 of 7042055.7%4.6 pCi/L
Bureau County radon tests by year, against Illinois' pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestIllinois, pooledChange from the row before
201733358.6%5.1 pCi/L44.0 pCi/L33.7%−8.1 points
20161866.7%5.0 pCi/L10.3 pCi/L17.4%−11.5 points
201516578.2%7.2 pCi/L35.3 pCi/L36.6%+11.1 points
201442067.1%6.0 pCi/L21.2 pCi/L37.8%First on file

Pooled shares: Radon411's sum of CDC's county counts for one period.

Bureau County, Geology

The ground under Bureau County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map puts all of Bureau County's mapped land in one class: high radon potential. The map puts 74.1% of Bureau County in the area it calls Bloomington Ridged Plain and 25.9% in Galesburg Plain. USGS gives both a radon index of 13, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under Bureau County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Bloomington Ridged PlainWisconsinan glacial deposits and loess over Paleozoic sedimentary rocks.High1374.1%
Galesburg PlainIllinoian glacial deposits and loess over Paleozoic sedimentary rocks.High1325.9%

Names, descriptions and indexes: U.S. Geological Survey, Geologic Radon Potential Map (2025). Shares: Radon411, from the map cut to the boundary.

Bureau County beside the ground around it

Bureau County has more high-potential ground than Illinois as a whole: 100% of its land against 64.5%. Of the 7 counties that border it, none has as large a share of high-potential ground; Henry County comes nearest at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Bureau County, the 7 counties bordering it and Illinois
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Bureau CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Putnam CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Lee CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Marshall CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Stark CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Whiteside CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Henry CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
LaSalle CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Illinois102 counties, pooled by land areaVaries0.9%34.5%64.5%

The map rates the ground, not the air in any home.

Local help

Bureau County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Bureau County

Listed radon businesses with an address in Bureau County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Princeton

What Illinois's program says
Phone
(800) 325-1245
Licensing of radon professionals
The Agency also licenses and regulates the individuals who provide radon measurement and mitigation to the public.
Disclosure when a home is sold or rented
Illinois Radon Awareness Act - This is the legislation that requires the seller to provide to the buyer of any interest in residential real property the IEMA-OHS pamphlet entitled "Radon Testing Guidelines for Real Estate Transactions" and the Illinois Disclosure of Information on Radon Hazards.

What it means

Bureau County, Questions

Questions about radon in Bureau County

Are radon levels high in Bureau County?

In 2017, 58.6% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Bureau County, Illinois were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 5.1 pCi/L. Of 70 Illinois counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 6 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 33.7%.

Which counties border Bureau County?

Bureau County borders 7 counties: Putnam County, Lee County, Marshall County, Stark County, Whiteside County, Henry County and LaSalle County.

Products

Bureau County, Products

Testing a home in Bureau County

In Bureau County, 58.6% of 333 tests reported to CDC in 2017 reached 4 pCi/L, against 33.7% pooled across Illinois. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Bureau County is the one to know: a long-term test (more than 90 days) or a monitor, with a short-term kit for a first answer.

Test kits and monitors3

See every kit and monitor

Bureau County is in EPA Zone 1, the highest predicted radon potential. Best radon monitors for Zone 1 counties like Bureau County

Explore

Bureau County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Bureau County

Calculated by Radon411

Bureau County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Bureau County

About 32,510 people live in Bureau County by the Census Bureau's estimate for July 1, 2025, 705 fewer than in 2020 (−2.1%). That works out to 37 people per square mile of land. Peru, the largest place on its list (9,780 residents in all), extends beyond Bureau County, so no share of the total is worked out for it. CDC's 333 reported tests for 2017 work out to 10.2 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Illinois' 10.9.

From Peru to Hollowayville, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Bureau County's.

The 12 largest cities and towns in Bureau County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Peruextends beyond Bureau County9,780−1.4%Counted whole
Princeton7,674−2.2%23.6%
Spring Valley5,408−2.9%16.6%
De Pue1,571−3.1%4.8%
Ladd1,384+9.8%4.3%
Walnut1,267−3.1%3.9%
Annawanextends beyond Bureau County858−2.9%Counted whole
Wyanet858−2.5%2.6%
Sheffield798−2.7%2.5%
Tiskilwa718−3.1%2.2%
La Moille670−2.5%2.1%
Dalzellextends beyond Bureau County639−3.5%Counted whole
  • Buda
  • Ohio
  • Cherry
  • Neponset
  • Seatonville
  • Malden
  • Manlius
  • Bureau Junction
  • Mineral
  • Arlington
  • Dover
  • New Bedford
  • Hollowayville

25 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files. “(part)” marks a place that extends into another county. Residents: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for July 1, 2025 (Vintage 2025). A place that extends beyond Bureau County is counted whole, so it has no share.

Bureau County, Homes

Homes in Bureau County

Bureau County is a place of houses on their own lots: 86% of its 15,646 homes are detached single-family houses, against 58% across Illinois. The homes are older than Illinois' as a whole: half were built before 1957 (1970 for Illinois), and 54% date from before 1960. Owners live in 76% of the occupied homes (Illinois: 67%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in Bureau County, Illinois, 2019 to 2023
HomesBureau CountyIllinois
Housing units15,6465,443,501
Detached houses86%58%
In buildings of 5 or more6%22%
Mobile homes3%2%
Built before 196054%38%
Built since 20008%16%
Middle year built19571970
Owner-occupied76%67%

Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2019 to 2023: estimates from a sample of homes, looser for a small place. Shares by Radon411.