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Radon Levels in Emmet County, Iowa

EPA puts Emmet County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 71.0% of the 420 radon tests reported to CDC (2008 to 2017, laboratory totals) 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

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  • Share at 4+ pCi/L

    71.0%

    12.5 pts above IA

    Emmet
    71.0%
    Iowa
    58.5%

    420 tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Median result

    6.3pCi/L

    Action level reached

    Emmet
    6.3 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Tests reported

    420

    56th of 99 by tests

    Emmet
    420
    Polk
    10,945

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2008 to 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 Iowa

    23 of 99

    Top quarter

    Emmet
    71.0%
    Sioux
    84.2%

    By share, of 99 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Emmet County

Starts at Emmet County's median, 6.3 pCi/L

6.3pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 6.3 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. Emmet County's median reported result, 2008 to 2017.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Emmet County, At a glance

Emmet County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Emmet 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 Emmet County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory

Reported results by concentration band, Emmet County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
Under 2 pCi/L: 10%2 to 4 pCi/L: 19%4 pCi/L and above: 71%

Of 420 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Emmet County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L4410.5%
2 to 4 pCi/L7818.6%
4 pCi/L and above29871.0%
What these figures count

These are the 420 tests reported to CDC for Emmet County over 2008 to 2017 (laboratory totals), 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: 2008 to 2017, laboratory. Measured data period: 2005 to 2017 (every CDC figure on file).

How to read these figures

Emmet County, Compared

Emmet County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

More than half: 71.0% of the 420 radon tests reported to CDC for Emmet County over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals read at least 4 pCi/L. That places it 23rd of 99 Iowa counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. That is 12.5 points above the 58.5% pooled from 99 Iowa counties.

The median result, 6.3 pCi/L, sits above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, and the top reported result was 138.7 pCi/L. The rest split 10.5% under 2 pCi/L and 18.6% from 2 to 4 (Iowa: 21.8% and 19.7%). Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 71.0% share point the same way here.

1 of its 6 bordering counties with figures ran higher, led by Clay County at 79.4%; Martin County, MN reported 64.9%. Statewide for the same period, Sioux County reported the highest share (84.2%) and Decatur County the lowest (25.9%).

CDC's ten-year totals for Emmet County went from 316 tests (2005 to 2014) to 420 (2008 to 2017), the share going from 72.8% to 71.0%.

Nationally, every county with a figure for the same period pools to 35.7%; Emmet County sits 35.3 points above it. CDC also counts 29 tests taken after mitigation in Emmet County for the same period: tests in homes where a fix was already in.

Emmet County against Iowa, the United States and nearby counties, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Emmet County
Emmet County42071.0%6.3 pCi/LThis county
Iowa, pooled99 counties, pooled95,24558.5%Not pooled−12.5 points
United States, pooled2,661 counties, pooled2,013,54435.7%Not pooled−35.3 points
Sioux Countyhighest in the state1,98284.2%10.7 pCi/L+13.2 points
Decatur Countylowest in the state8525.9%2.5 pCi/L−45.1 points
Clay County, IAborders it74479.4%9.6 pCi/L+8.4 points
Palo Alto County, IAborders it46270.8%5.9 pCi/L−0.2 points
Dickinson County, IAborders it83170.3%7.0 pCi/L−0.7 points
Jackson County, MNborders it39469.8%6.8 pCi/L−1.2 points
Kossuth County, IAborders it43466.1%5.7 pCi/L−4.9 points
Martin County, MNborders it40564.9%5.2 pCi/L−6.1 points
Where Emmet County's reported results fell, 2008 to 2017, laboratory, beside Iowa and the United States
ResultEmmet County testsEmmet County shareIowa shareU.S. shareAgainst Iowa
Under 2 pCi/L4410.5%21.8%39.6%−11.3 points
2 to 4 pCi/L7818.6%19.7%24.7%−1.1 points
4 pCi/L and above29871.0%58.5%35.7%+12.5 points
Emmet County ranked among the 99 Iowa counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Buena Vista County18 of 9968872.1%6.9 pCi/L
Winnebago County19 of 9982971.9%6.7 pCi/L
Ida County20 of 9939971.7%7.4 pCi/L
Page County21 of 9965371.7%7.2 pCi/L
Greene County22 of 9914371.3%6.2 pCi/L
Emmet County23 of 9942071.0%6.3 pCi/L
Guthrie County24 of 9925770.8%6.9 pCi/L
Palo Alto County25 of 9946270.8%5.9 pCi/L
Mitchell County26 of 9944470.7%6.4 pCi/L
Poweshiek County27 of 9941970.6%7.2 pCi/L
Dickinson County28 of 9983170.3%7.0 pCi/L
Emmet County ten-year laboratory totals, against Iowa's pooled share
PeriodTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestIowa, pooledChange from the row before
2008 to 201742071.0%6.3 pCi/L138.7 pCi/L58.5%+0.8 points
2007 to 201639270.2%6.2 pCi/L50.8 pCi/L58.6%−1.6 points
2006 to 201534771.8%6.4 pCi/L50.8 pCi/L59.4%−1.0 points
2005 to 201431672.8%6.4 pCi/L50.8 pCi/L59.6%First on file

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

Emmet County, Geology

The ground under Emmet County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map puts all of Emmet County's mapped land in one class: high radon potential. All of it lies in the area the map calls Des Moines Lobe, to which USGS gives a radon index of 12, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under Emmet County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Des Moines LobeCalcareous loamy till derived from shale, limestone, dolomite, sandstone.High12100%

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

Emmet County beside the ground around it

On high-potential ground Emmet County is close to Iowa as a whole: 100% of its land against 98.8%. Of the 6 counties that border it, none has as large a share of high-potential ground; Clay County comes nearest at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Emmet County, the 6 counties bordering it and Iowa
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Emmet CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Palo Alto CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Martin County, MNZone 1NoneNone100%
Dickinson CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Clay CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Kossuth CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Jackson County, MNZone 1NoneNone100%
Iowa99 counties, pooled by land areaVariesNone1.2%98.8%

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

Local help

Emmet County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Emmet County

What Iowa's program says
Phone
(515) 281-4928
Licensing of radon professionals
Iowa’s radon program approves applications for persons who wish to become certified to perform radon testing or credentialed to perform mitigation and laboratories that provide radon testing devices and analytical services.
Disclosure when a home is sold or rented
However, per Iowa Code chapters 543B.9 and 543B.18 and Iowa Administrative Code 193E Chapter 14 administered by the Iowa Real Estate Commission, a seller must disclose any known tests for the presence of radon and if yes, provide the date of last report and the result(s).

What it means

Emmet County, Questions

Questions about radon in Emmet County

Are radon levels high in Emmet County?

Over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals, 71.0% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Emmet County, Iowa were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 6.3 pCi/L. Of 99 Iowa counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 22 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 58.5%.

Which counties border Emmet County?

Emmet County borders 6 counties: Palo Alto County, IA, Martin County, MN, Dickinson County, IA, Clay County, IA, Kossuth County, IA and Jackson County, MN.

Products

Emmet County, Products

Testing a home in Emmet County

In Emmet County, 71.0% of 420 tests reported to CDC over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached 4 pCi/L, against 58.5% pooled across Iowa. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Emmet 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

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

Explore

Emmet County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Emmet County

Calculated by Radon411

Emmet County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Emmet County

About 9,107 people live in Emmet County by the Census Bureau's estimate for July 1, 2025, 234 fewer than in 2020 (−2.5%). That works out to 23 people per square mile of land. Estherville alone is home to 5,807 of them, 63.8% of the total. Together its 6 incorporated places hold 79.5% of those residents; the other 20.5% live outside any of them. Testing is reported here more often than across the state: CDC's 420 reported tests for 2008 to 2017 come to 46.1 for every 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), against 29.4 for Iowa.

From Estherville to Gruver, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Emmet County's.

The cities and towns in Emmet County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Estherville5,807−1.2%63.8%
Armstrong828−4.4%9.1%
Ringsted341−6.1%3.7%
Wallingford152−6.7%1.7%
Dolliver60−9.1%0.7%
Gruver55−6.8%0.6%

6 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files. Residents: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for July 1, 2025 (Vintage 2025).

Emmet County, Homes

Homes in Emmet County

Emmet County is a place of houses on their own lots: 84% of its 4,517 homes are detached single-family houses, against 72% across Iowa. The homes are older than Iowa's as a whole: half were built before 1955 (1971 for Iowa), and 59% date from before 1960. Owners live in 78% of the occupied homes (Iowa: 72%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in Emmet County, Iowa, 2019 to 2023
HomesEmmet CountyIowa
Housing units4,5171,427,175
Detached houses84%72%
In buildings of 5 or more6%14%
Mobile homes3%3%
Built before 196059%39%
Built since 20008%21%
Middle year built19551971
Owner-occupied78%72%

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