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Radon Levels in McPherson County, Kansas

EPA puts McPherson County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 51.6% of the 215 radon tests reported to CDC (2022) 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

    51.6%

    19.6 pts above KS

    McPherson
    51.6%
    Kansas
    32.0%

    215 tests, 2022

  • Median result

    4.1pCi/L

    Action level reached

    McPherson
    4.1 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2022

  • Tests reported

    215

    13th of 38 by tests

    McPherson
    215
    Johnson
    5,240

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2022

  • 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 Kansas

    7 of 38

    Top quarter

    McPherson
    51.6%
    Mitchell
    57.4%

    By share, of 38 with 30+ tests

Read a result for McPherson County

Starts at McPherson County's median, 4.1 pCi/L

4.1pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 4.1 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. McPherson County's median reported result, 2022.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

McPherson County, At a glance

McPherson County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of McPherson 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: Moderate across 52% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for McPherson County, 2022

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, McPherson County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, McPherson County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201649.1%
201740.8%
201845.3%
201946.5%
202036.2%
202144.2%
202251.6%

2022: 51.6%. Across these years the share ran from 36.2% to 51.6%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

These are the 215 tests reported to CDC for McPherson County over 2022, 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: 2022. Measured data period: 2016 to 2022 (every CDC figure on file).

How to read these figures

McPherson County, Compared

McPherson County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

More than half: 51.6% of the 215 radon tests reported to CDC for McPherson County in 2022 read at least 4 pCi/L. That places it 7th of 38 Kansas counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. That is 19.6 points above the 32.0% pooled from 96 Kansas counties.

The median result, 4.1 pCi/L, sits above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, and the top reported result was 30.7 pCi/L. The rest split 31.6% under 2 pCi/L and 16.7% from 2 to 4 (Kansas: 45.8% and 22.1%). Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 51.6% share point the same way here.

1 of its 6 bordering counties with figures ran higher, led by Saline County at 52.3%; Reno County reported 25.4%. Statewide for the same period, Mitchell County reported the highest share (57.4%) and Crawford County the lowest (5.9%).

The busiest year on file was 2021, with 651 tests reported; the quietest, 2022, had 215.

Over 7 years of annual figures the share rose 2.5 points, from 49.1% in 2016 to 51.6% in 2022; its peak was 51.6% in 2022. Nationally, every county with a figure for the same period pools to 23.9%; McPherson County sits 27.7 points above it. CDC also counts 12 tests taken after mitigation in McPherson County for the same period: tests in homes where a fix was already in.

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, McPherson County against Kansas2016 to 2022, years with 30 or more tests: McPherson County 49.1% to 51.6%, the state's pooled share 32.0% in 2022.
McPherson CountyKansas, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, McPherson County against Kansas: data table
YearTestsMcPherson County, at or above 4 pCi/LKansas, pooled
201622649.1%35.4%
201725540.8%37.3%
201826745.3%37.3%
201927346.5%33.7%
202021836.2%31.3%
202165144.2%31.8%
202221551.6%32.0%
McPherson County against Kansas, the United States and nearby counties, 2022
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from McPherson County
McPherson County21551.6%4.1 pCi/LThis county
Kansas, pooled96 counties, pooled18,38532.0%Not pooled−19.6 points
United States, pooled853 counties, pooled333,14023.9%Not pooled−27.7 points
Mitchell Countyhighest in the state4757.4%6.2 pCi/L+5.8 points
Crawford Countylowest in the state345.9%0.8 pCi/L−45.7 points
Saline County, KSborders it72952.3%4.2 pCi/L+0.7 points
Marion County, KSborders it4540.0%2.5 pCi/L−11.6 points
Dickinson County, KSborders it11338.9%2.7 pCi/L−12.7 points
Ellsworth County, KSborders it1735.3%3.0 pCi/L−16.3 points
Harvey County, KSborders it23234.1%2.8 pCi/L−17.5 points
Rice County, KSborders it5328.3%1.8 pCi/L−23.3 points
Reno County, KSborders it24025.4%2.2 pCi/L−26.2 points
Where McPherson County's reported results fell, 2022, beside Kansas and the United States
ResultMcPherson County testsMcPherson County shareKansas shareU.S. shareAgainst Kansas
Under 2 pCi/L6831.6%45.8%54.5%−14.2 points
2 to 4 pCi/L3616.7%22.1%21.7%−5.4 points
4 pCi/L and above11151.6%32.0%23.9%+19.6 points
McPherson County ranked among the 38 Kansas counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2022
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Clay County2 of 387755.8%4.8 pCi/L
Cloud County3 of 389754.6%4.3 pCi/L
Barton County4 of 383953.8%4.1 pCi/L
Republic County5 of 383452.9%4.3 pCi/L
Saline County6 of 3872952.3%4.2 pCi/L
McPherson County7 of 3821551.6%4.1 pCi/L
Pawnee County8 of 385343.4%3.7 pCi/L
Atchison County9 of 386041.7%3.3 pCi/L
Johnson County10 of 385,24041.2%3.0 pCi/L
Miami County11 of 3821440.2%3.0 pCi/L
Marion County12 of 384540.0%2.5 pCi/L
McPherson County radon tests by year, against Kansas' pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestKansas, pooledChange from the row before
202221551.6%4.1 pCi/L30.7 pCi/L32.0%+7.4 points
202165144.2%3.2 pCi/L35.9 pCi/L31.8%+8.0 points
202021836.2%2.6 pCi/L28.3 pCi/L31.3%−10.3 points
201927346.5%3.5 pCi/L36.0 pCi/L33.7%+1.2 points
201826745.3%3.6 pCi/L29.6 pCi/L37.3%+4.5 points
201725540.8%3.0 pCi/L22.4 pCi/L37.3%−8.3 points
201622649.1%3.9 pCi/L24.9 pCi/L35.4%First on file

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

McPherson County, Geology

The ground under McPherson County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map splits McPherson County: 52.1% of its land is moderate radon potential and 47.9% high. The map puts 50.8% of McPherson County in the area it calls Glaciated Area and 44.1% in Smoky Hills, with 2 smaller areas beside them. USGS gives the first a radon index of 9, in the moderate band (9 to 11), and the second 12, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under McPherson County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Glaciated AreaGlacial till underlain by Pennsylvanian and Permian marine and nonmarine sedimentary shale, sandstone, limestone, coal.Moderate950.8%
Smoky HillsCretaceous marine sandstone, shale, and siltstone covered by discontinuous loess deposits.High1244.1%
Mid-Continent Rift ZoneFaulted and fractured Permian limestone, dolomite, shale, and sandstone related to the Mid-Continent Rift zone.High123.9%
Arkansas River LowlandsDune sands and alluvium.Moderate101.3%

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

McPherson County beside the ground around it

Kansas as a whole has more high-potential ground than McPherson County: 59.9% of its land, against 47.9% here. Of the 7 counties that border it, 4 have more high-potential ground, Ellsworth County the most at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: McPherson County, the 7 counties bordering it and Kansas
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
McPherson CountyZone 1None52.1%47.9%
Harvey CountyZone 2None100%None
Saline CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Marion CountyZone 1None82.3%17.7%
Rice CountyZone 1None16.7%83.3%
Reno CountyZone 2None72.7%27.3%
Ellsworth CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Dickinson CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Kansas105 counties, pooled by land areaVariesNone40.1%59.9%

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

Local help

McPherson County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in McPherson County

Listed radon businesses with an address in McPherson County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Moundridge, Canton

What Kansas's program says
Phone
(800) 693-5343

What it means

McPherson County, Questions

Questions about radon in McPherson County

Are radon levels high in McPherson County?

In 2022, 51.6% of the radon tests reported to CDC for McPherson County, Kansas were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 4.1 pCi/L. Of 38 Kansas counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 6 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 32.0%.

Which counties border McPherson County?

McPherson County borders 7 counties: Harvey County, Saline County, Marion County, Rice County, Reno County, Ellsworth County and Dickinson County.

Products

McPherson County, Products

Testing a home in McPherson County

In McPherson County, 51.6% of 215 tests reported to CDC in 2022 reached 4 pCi/L, against 32.0% pooled across Kansas. In Zone 1 the year-round level in McPherson 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

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

Explore

McPherson County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering McPherson County

Calculated by Radon411

McPherson County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in McPherson County

McPherson County's population has barely moved since 2020: 30,064 residents on July 1, 2025 against 30,195 then, by the Census Bureau's estimates. That works out to 33 people per square mile of land. Its largest town, McPherson, has 13,918 residents, 46.3% of the total. Together its 8 incorporated places hold 77.0% of those residents; the other 23.0% live outside any of them. CDC's 215 reported tests for 2022 work out to 7.2 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Kansas' 6.2.

From McPherson to Windom, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads McPherson County's.

The cities and towns in McPherson County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
McPherson13,918−1.1%46.3%
Lindsborg3,824+1.2%12.7%
Moundridge1,939−1.6%6.4%
Inman1,309−2.2%4.4%
Galva817−2.5%2.7%
Canton654−4.2%2.2%
Marquette588−2.6%2.0%
Windom90+2.3%0.3%

8 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).

McPherson County, Homes

Homes in McPherson County

McPherson County is a place of houses on their own lots: 81% of its 13,128 homes are detached single-family houses, against 72% across Kansas. Half of its homes were built before 1975, close to Kansas' 1975: 34% date from before 1960 and 17% from 2000 or later. Owners live in 76% of the occupied homes (Kansas: 67%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in McPherson County, Kansas, 2019 to 2023
HomesMcPherson CountyKansas
Housing units13,1281,285,221
Detached houses81%72%
In buildings of 5 or more3%13%
Mobile homes5%4%
Built before 196034%33%
Built since 200017%20%
Middle year built19751975
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.