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Radon Levels in Berkshire County, Massachusetts

EPA puts Berkshire County in Zone 2, its middle radon zone, and 27.1% of its 1,097 reported radon tests (2008 to 2017, laboratory totals) were 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

    27.1%

    3.3 pts above MA

    Berkshire
    27.1%
    MA
    23.8%

    1,097 tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Median result

    1.7pCi/L

    Below action level

    Berkshire
    1.7 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Tests reported

    1,097

    11th of 14 by tests

    Berkshire
    1,097
    Middlesex
    75,220

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2008 to 2017

  • EPA radon zone

    Zone 2

    Moderate potential

    1. 1
    2. Zone 2
    3. 3

    1 highest, 3 lowest

    EPA predicts 2 to 4 pCi/L indoors

  • Rank in MA

    3 of 14

    Top quarter

    Berkshire
    27.1%
    Worcester
    33.5%

    By share, of 14 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Berkshire County

Starts at Berkshire County's median, 1.7 pCi/L

1.7pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 1.7 pCi/L

Below 2 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 below 2 pCi/L, the level at which EPA says a fix should be considered. Berkshire County's median reported result, 2008 to 2017.

Interpret this reading

The data

Berkshire County, At a glance

Berkshire County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 2: moderate predicted potential

Berkshire County is a county: EPA's forecast for it as a whole is an average indoor of 2 to 4 pCi/L (75 to 150 Bq/m³). It describes no single address, and homes above EPA's are found in every zone, this one included.

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

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Berkshire County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory

Reported results by concentration band, Berkshire County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
Under 2 pCi/L: 54%2 to 4 pCi/L: 19%4 pCi/L and above: 27%

Of 1,097 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Berkshire County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L58753.5%
2 to 4 pCi/L21319.4%
4 pCi/L and above29727.1%
What these figures count

These are the 1,097 tests reported to CDC for Berkshire 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

Berkshire County, Compared

Berkshire County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

Berkshire County's 1,097 reported tests over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals had a middle value of 1.7 pCi/L and a maximum of 55.0 pCi/L, and 27.1% reached 4 pCi/L. Massachusetts as a whole (14 Massachusetts counties, pooled) comes to 23.8%: 3.3 points lower than here.

Among its state's counties it ranks 3rd of 14 Massachusetts counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. Statewide for the same period, Worcester County reported the highest share (33.5%) and Nantucket County the lowest (5.0%).

Below the action level, 587 tests (53.5%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 49.6% statewide, and 213 tests (19.4%) fell between 2 and 4, against 26.6% statewide. CDC's ten-year totals for Berkshire County went from 1,456 tests (2005 to 2014) to 1,097 (2008 to 2017), the share going from 24.6% to 27.1%.

EPA's 1993 zone map puts Berkshire County in Zone 2, a predicted county average between 2 and 4 pCi/L. USGS geology rates 100% of the county's land moderate radon potential.

Next door, the shares run from 13.1% in Hampden County to 40.8% in Dutchess County, NY, with Bennington County, VT, Franklin County and Hampshire County below Berkshire County.

CDC also counts 14 tests taken after mitigation in Berkshire County for the same period: tests in homes where a fix was already in.

Berkshire County against Massachusetts, the United States and nearby counties, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Berkshire County
Berkshire County1,09727.1%1.7 pCi/LThis county
Massachusetts, pooled14 counties, pooled234,15223.8%Not pooled−3.3 points
United States, pooled2,661 counties, pooled2,013,54435.7%Not pooled+8.6 points
Worcester Countyhighest in the state46,44033.5%2.6 pCi/L+6.4 points
Nantucket Countylowest in the state405.0%1.8 pCi/L−22.1 points
Dutchess County, NYborders it2,13340.8%3.0 pCi/L+13.7 points
Columbia County, NYborders it57339.8%2.7 pCi/L+12.7 points
Rensselaer County, NYborders it1,57729.5%2.1 pCi/L+2.4 points
Litchfield County, CTborders it1,59529.1%2.0 pCi/L+2.0 points
Bennington County, VTborders it73325.8%2.0 pCi/L−1.3 points
Franklin County, MAborders it80222.3%1.6 pCi/L−4.8 points
Hampshire County, MAborders it2,45718.8%1.5 pCi/L−8.3 points
Hampden County, MAborders it3,45213.1%1.3 pCi/L−14.0 points
Where Berkshire County's reported results fell, 2008 to 2017, laboratory, beside Massachusetts and the United States
ResultBerkshire County testsBerkshire County shareMassachusetts shareU.S. shareAgainst Massachusetts
Under 2 pCi/L58753.5%49.6%39.6%+3.9 points
2 to 4 pCi/L21319.4%26.6%24.7%−7.2 points
4 pCi/L and above29727.1%23.8%35.7%+3.3 points
Berkshire County ranked among the 14 Massachusetts counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Worcester County1 of 1446,44033.5%2.6 pCi/L
Essex County2 of 1420,39828.7%2.2 pCi/L
Berkshire County3 of 141,09727.1%1.7 pCi/L
Bristol County4 of 1413,35823.2%2.0 pCi/L
Franklin County5 of 1480222.3%1.6 pCi/L
Middlesex County6 of 1475,22022.0%1.9 pCi/L
Norfolk County7 of 1439,20521.2%1.8 pCi/L
Barnstable County8 of 146,52120.6%2.0 pCi/L
Hampshire County9 of 142,45718.8%1.5 pCi/L
Dukes County10 of 1431717.4%1.7 pCi/L
Plymouth County11 of 1416,32017.0%1.7 pCi/L
Berkshire County ten-year laboratory totals, against Massachusetts' pooled share
PeriodTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestMassachusetts, pooledChange from the row before
2008 to 20171,09727.1%1.7 pCi/L55.0 pCi/L23.8%+0.9 points
2007 to 20161,22626.2%1.7 pCi/L55.0 pCi/L23.6%+0.2 points
2006 to 20151,33026.0%1.7 pCi/L55.0 pCi/L23.4%+1.4 points
2005 to 20141,45624.6%1.6 pCi/L55.0 pCi/L23.0%First on file

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

Berkshire County, Geology

The ground under Berkshire County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map puts all of Berkshire County's mapped land in one class: moderate radon potential. The map puts 45.3% of Berkshire County in the area it calls Taconic Mountains-Stockbridge Valley and 41.0% in Berkshire Mountains, with one smaller area beside them. USGS gives the first a radon index of 11 and the second 10, both in the moderate band (9 to 11).

USGS's geologic areas under Berkshire County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Taconic Mountains-Stockbridge ValleyCarbonate sedimentary, metasedimentary, and metavolcanic rocks.Moderate1145.3%
Berkshire MountainsGranitic to dioritic gneiss and schist.Moderate1041.0%
Western Connecticut Valley BeltMetasedimentary and metavolcanic gneiss and schist.Moderate1113.4%

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

Berkshire County beside the ground around it

Across Massachusetts 31.9% of the land is rated high; none of Berkshire County's is. Of the 8 counties that border it, 6 have more high-potential ground, Dutchess County, NY the most at 99.6%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Berkshire County, the 8 counties bordering it and Massachusetts
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Berkshire CountyZone 2None100%None
Rensselaer County, NYZone 1None3.2%96.8%
Hampshire CountyZone 230.1%69.9%0.1%
Columbia County, NYZone 1None0.6%99.4%
Franklin CountyZone 214.5%85.5%None
Hampden CountyZone 241.7%47.6%10.7%
Bennington County, VTZone 2None100%None
Litchfield County, CTZone 20.6%60.8%38.6%
Dutchess County, NYZone 1None0.4%99.6%
Massachusetts14 counties, pooled by land areaVaries8.7%57.9%31.9%

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

Local help

Berkshire County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Berkshire County

What Massachusetts's program says
Phone
(800) 723-6695
Email
DPHIAQ.radon@mass.gov

What it means

Berkshire County, Questions

Questions about radon in Berkshire County

Are radon levels high in Berkshire County?

Over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals, 27.1% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Berkshire County, Massachusetts were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 1.7 pCi/L. Of 14 Massachusetts counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 2 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 23.8%.

Which counties border Berkshire County?

Berkshire County borders 8 counties: Rensselaer County, NY, Hampshire County, MA, Columbia County, NY, Franklin County, MA, Hampden County, MA, Bennington County, VT, Litchfield County, CT and Dutchess County, NY.

Products

Berkshire County, Products

Testing a home in Berkshire County

In Berkshire County, 27.1% of 1,097 tests reported to CDC over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached 4 pCi/L, against 23.8% pooled across Massachusetts. In Zone 2 a short-term kit (2 to 90 days) is the quick first check in Berkshire County; a long-term test tells the year-round average.

Test kits and monitors3

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Best radon monitors for Berkshire County homes, compared

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Berkshire County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Berkshire County

Calculated by Radon411

Berkshire County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Berkshire County

About 128,224 people live in Berkshire County by the Census Bureau's estimate for July 1, 2025, 1,592 fewer than in 2020 (−1.2%). That works out to 138 people per square mile of land. Its largest town, Pittsfield, has 42,909 residents, 33.5% of the total. Together its 2 incorporated places hold 43.1% of those residents; the other 56.9% live outside any of them. Reported testing is thin here: 1,097 tests over 2008 to 2017, or 8.6 for every 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), where Massachusetts as a whole comes to 32.7.

From Pittsfield to North Adams, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Berkshire County's.

The cities and towns in Berkshire County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Pittsfield42,909−2.1%33.5%
North Adams12,368−2.9%9.6%

2 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).

Berkshire County, Homes

Homes in Berkshire County

Of Berkshire County's 69,861 homes, 66% are detached houses, against 51% across Massachusetts; 13% are in buildings of five or more homes. The homes are older than Massachusetts' as a whole: half were built before 1955 (1963 for Massachusetts), and 57% date from before 1960. 70% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner (Massachusetts: 63%); in the rest a tenant can run a test, but a fix is the landlord's to make.

Homes in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, 2019 to 2023
HomesBerkshire CountyMassachusetts
Housing units69,8613,014,657
Detached houses66%51%
In buildings of 5 or more13%22%
Mobile homes2%1%
Built before 196057%47%
Built since 20008%14%
Middle year built19551963
Owner-occupied70%63%

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