Locations and reports
Radon Levels in Kentucky
What this means for you
- Your area: EPA rates 30 of Kentucky's 120 classified counties Zone 1, the highest of its three radon zones. Zones are predictions for whole counties, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones.
- Local tests: CDC publishes Kentucky's radon test results by county. Open your county below to see its figures.
- Your home: The only way to know your home’s level is to test it.
pCi/L (picocuries per liter) is the unit radon is measured in. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above, its action level.
For Kentucky, EPA's Map of Radon Zones places 30 of its 120 classified counties in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, a prediction for each county as a whole. Radon levels vary from home to home, so only a test measures the level in yours.
Predicted: EPA radon zone
120 of 120 counties classified
EPA classifies counties, not states. Of the 120 counties in Kentucky with a zone, 30 are in Zone 1, 82 in Zone 2 and 8 in Zone 3.
- Zone 1: Highest predicted potentialgreater than 4 pCi/L30 of 120 counties · 25.0%
- Zone 2: Moderate predicted potential2 to 4 pCi/L82 of 120 counties · 68.3%
- Zone 3: Lower predicted potentialless than 2 pCi/L8 of 120 counties · 6.7%
An EPA radon zone describes predicted potential across a whole county. It is not intended to determine whether any individual home should be tested, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone, and testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.
This is a county-level geologic prediction. It is not a measurement of any address, and houses with elevated radon are found in all three zones.
Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Measured: tests reported to CDC
CDC publishes Kentucky's radon test figures by county: 120 of its 120 counties have one. Each county's share is in the county list.
Kentucky, In figures
Kentucky in figures
What the published data says about Kentucky, in words. A zone and a share of tests describe an area, never the level in any one home.
Predicted
PredictedEPA places 30 of Kentucky's 120 counties in Zone 1, 82 in Zone 2 and 8 in Zone 3.
Zone 1 counties, A to Z, begin with Adair County, Allen County and Barren County; the county section below lists all 30.
Compared
Calculated by Radon41125% of Kentucky's counties with a zone on file are in Zone 1, a smaller share than across all U.S. counties (34%). It is a share of counties, not of land, people or homes.
Reported tests
MeasuredCDC has no statewide testing figure for Kentucky on file here.
120 of the 120 counties have a published county figure; the most tests in each one's latest year were reported for Jefferson County (5,028 in 2017), Fayette County (3,323 in 2017) and Boone County (1,112 in 2017).
Local record
Kentucky's radon program and its page are under Local resources.
2 cities have a page setting the figures of the counties it lies in side by side: Lexington and Louisville.
Kentucky, Counties
Kentucky counties by EPA zone
PredictedAll 120 counties, by the zone EPA predicts for each. Every county has its own report.
Zone 1: highest predicted potential30
- Adair County43.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Allen County29.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Barren County51.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Bourbon County53.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Boyle County53.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Bullitt County47.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Casey County32.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Clark County29.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Cumberland County55.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Fayette County54.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Franklin County43.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Green County32.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Harrison County46.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hart County65.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Jefferson County39.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Jessamine County55.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lincoln County35.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Marion County48.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mercer County38.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Metcalfe County45.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Monroe County52.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Nelson County66.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pendleton County26.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pulaski County59.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Robertson County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Russell County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Scott County46.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Taylor County57.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Warren County61.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Woodford County57.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
Zone 2: moderate predicted potential82
- Anderson County25.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Bath County41.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Bell County12.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Boone County42.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Boyd County17.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Bracken County20.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Breathitt County19.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Breckinridge County31.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Butler County3.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Caldwell County40.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Campbell County26.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Carroll County38.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Carter County31.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Christian County36.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Clay County20.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Clinton County47.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Crittenden County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Daviess County20.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Edmonson County21.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Elliott County40.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Estill County44.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Fleming County36.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Floyd County40.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Gallatin County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Garrard County39.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Grant County33.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Grayson County27.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Greenup County12.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hancock County16.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hardin County50.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Harlan County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Henderson County24.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Henry County36.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hopkins County9.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Jackson County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Johnson County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Kenton County26.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Knott County23.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Knox County10.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Larue County47.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Laurel County22.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lawrence County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lee County5.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Leslie County10.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Letcher County31.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lewis County33.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Livingston County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Logan County31.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Lyon County35.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Madison County38.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Magoffin County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Martin County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Mason County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- McCreary County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- McLean County50.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Meade County68.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Menifee County22.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Montgomery County51.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Morgan County5.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Muhlenberg County17.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Nicholas County10.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Ohio County11.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Oldham County37.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Owen County36.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Owsley County62.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Perry County20.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Pike County17.1% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Powell County44.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Rockcastle County42.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Rowan County18.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Shelby County37.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Simpson County32.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Spencer County31.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Todd County17.7% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Trigg County22.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Trimble County45.8% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Union County25.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Washington County27.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wayne County60.9% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Webster County12.5% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Whitley County4.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Wolfe County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
Zone 3: lower predicted potential8
- Ballard County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Calloway County22.2% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Carlisle County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Fulton County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Graves County8.3% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Hickman County0.0% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- Marshall County10.6% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
- McCracken County21.4% of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2017
Kentucky, Cities
Cities in Kentucky with their own page
Radon data is published by county, not by city. Each city page sets the figures of the counties the city lies in side by side.
Kentucky, Local resources
Local resources in Kentucky
Who to ask in Kentucky: the state's radon program, test kits and professionals.
Kentucky's radon program
Kentucky Board of Radon Safety
Kentucky’s radon program answers questions about testing, mitigation and the rules where you live.
- Phone
- 502-782-2782
- Radon@ky.gov
Test kits
Ask the program whether it has free or discounted kits, or compare kits you can buy.
Radon professionals
12 professionals are listed in Kentucky.
Professionals in KentuckyKentucky, Questions
Questions about radon in Kentucky
Common questions9 questions, answered from the figures above
Is radon a problem in Kentucky?
EPA's Map of Radon Zones places 30 of the 120 Kentucky counties it classifies in Zone 1, the highest predicted potential, 82 in Zone 2 and 8 in Zone 3. An EPA radon zone describes predicted potential across a whole county. It is not intended to determine whether any individual home should be tested, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone, and testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.
Which Kentucky counties are in EPA radon Zone 1?
30 counties are in Zone 1: Adair County, Allen County, Barren County, Bourbon County, Boyle County, Bullitt County, Casey County, Clark County, and 22 more in the county table on this page. Zone 1 is EPA's class for highest predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. A zone is a prediction for a county, not a measurement of any home.
Radon in Adair CountyRadon in Allen CountyRadon in Barren County
How do I get a radon test in Kentucky?
EPA says you can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company, and that either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort. The Kentucky radon program is the place to ask about certified testers and any test kit offer it runs.
How to test a homeFree and low-cost kits by stateKentucky radon program
Who does radon mitigation in Kentucky?
Radon411's Kentucky directory lists 12 certified radon companies. EPA recommends having a qualified contractor fix a home with a radon problem, because lowering high radon levels takes technical knowledge and special skills, and some states require the work to be done by a licensed or certified professional.
How radon mitigation worksWhat mitigation costsRadon professionals in Kentucky
Which Kentucky counties have the highest radon?
120 of Kentucky's 120 counties have an EPA radon zone published here. Radon411 will not rank counties on data it does not hold, and a zone is a prediction for an area rather than a measurement of any building.
What share of radon tests in Kentucky are high?
CDC has published no statewide radon testing statistics for Kentucky, so we cannot give a figure. Where CDC does publish one, the percentage describes radon tests reported to CDC, not homes.
Which EPA region is Kentucky in?
Kentucky is in EPA Region 4: Southeast.
Do I need to test my home in Kentucky?
Yes, wherever you live in the state. Testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building. EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. EPA recommends considering a fix when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
Why does this page show coverage rather than one radon level for Kentucky?
A statewide figure averages counties with very different geology and very different numbers of reported tests, so it hides more than it shows. The county report is the level at which the EPA zone, the geologic potential and the reported testing statistics are actually published, which is why the county table above links to every one of them.
What these figures mean if you own, buy, sell or rent
The zone counts on this page describe counties across Kentucky. They are predictions for areas, and none of them measures your building.
- How to test a home
If you own your home
Test the lowest lived-in level; a short-term kit screens in days, a long-term kit reflects the year.
- Buying a house: radon guide
If you are buying
Ask for past results and any system's post-mitigation test, and test during the sale.
- Selling a house: radon guide
If you are selling
Testing before you list puts the timing in your hands; disclosure rules differ by state.
- Radon in rental homes
If you rent, or rent out a home
A tenant can test; a fix is the owner's to make, and duties differ by state.
How long a test has to run, under what conditions, and what EPA says a result means: the testing standard, in full.
Kentucky, Products
Testing and mitigation products
Whatever the figures for Kentucky show, only a test tells you about one home.
Testing
- Short-term test kitsPassive detectors exposed for a few days under closed-building conditions, then analyzed by a lab.
- Long-term test kitsDetectors exposed for more than 90 days, for a closer picture of the annual average.
- Continuous monitorsPowered devices that log radon on a repeating cycle, often used for transaction tests.
- Digital detectorsConsumer devices that display a running radon reading without a lab.
- Water radon testsKits for radon dissolved in well water, analyzed by a lab.
Mitigation
- Mitigation fansThe inline fan that keeps a soil depressurization system running, sized by the installer.
- System indicatorsU-tube manometers and fan alarms that show whether a mitigation system is still working.
- Sealing materialsCrack, joint and sump sealing used alongside a mitigation system, not instead of one.
Kentucky / Next steps
What to do next
Learn
Know what radon is
What radon is, how it gets indoors, and why a county zone is not a reading for your home.
Learn about radonTest
Test the building you live in
Short-term or long-term, where the device goes, and closed-house conditions.
How to testFix
Bring a high level down
How a mitigation system works, and the retest that confirms it.
How mitigation worksFind a pro
Hire a certified professional
Measurement and mitigation professionals by state, with their certifications.
Find a professional
Informational. Follow EPA guidance. EPA says all radon tests should be taken for a minimum of 48 hours, with windows and doors closed from 12 hours before a short-term test.