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Radon Levels in Douglas County, Minnesota

EPA puts Douglas County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 48.3% of the 145 radon tests reported to CDC (2023) 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

    48.3%

    13.7 pts above MN

    Douglas
    48.3%
    Minnesota
    34.6%

    145 tests, 2023

  • Median result

    3.7pCi/L

    Below action level

    Douglas
    3.7 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2023

  • Tests reported

    145

    20th of 62 by tests

    Douglas
    145
    Hennepin
    6,545

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2023

  • 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 Minnesota

    25 of 62

    Middle half

    Douglas
    48.3%
    Renville
    75.7%

    By share, of 62 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Douglas County

Starts at Douglas County's median, 3.7 pCi/L

3.7pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 3.7 pCi/L

Between 2 and 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 between 2 and 4 pCi/L. EPA recommends considering a fix when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Douglas County's median reported result, 2023.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Douglas County, At a glance

Douglas County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Douglas 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 Douglas County, 2023

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Douglas County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Douglas County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201456.5%
201558.8%
201662.5%
201765.9%
201842.6%
201947.9%
202058.3%
202144.9%
202247.4%
202348.3%

2023: 48.3%. Across these years the share ran from 42.6% to 65.9%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

These are the 145 tests reported to CDC for Douglas County over 2023, 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: 2023. Measured data period: 2005 to 2023 (every CDC figure on file).

How to read these figures

Douglas County, Compared

Douglas County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

In Douglas County, about 5 in 10 reported tests in 2023 (70 of 145) were at or above EPA's action level. Against the national pool of 33.4%, the gap is 14.9 points higher. Across 86 Minnesota counties pooled together, 34.6% of tests reached that level, so Douglas County runs 13.7 points above its state.

Of 4 neighbours with a figure, 2 reported a larger share at or above 4 pCi/L and 2 a smaller one; the spread is 23.8% (Todd County) to 61.4% (Otter Tail County). By share, Douglas County is 25th of 62 Minnesota counties with 30 or more tests for the same period.

Year by year, 2014 opened at 56.5% and 2023 closed at 48.3% (down 8.2 points), with 2017 the high at 65.9%. Half the tests came in under 3.7 pCi/L and half over it; the single highest reached 19.0 pCi/L. Below the action level, 35 tests (24.1%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 36.6% statewide, and 40 tests (27.6%) fell between 2 and 4, against 28.9% statewide.

Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 48.3% share point the same way here. USGS geology rates 100% of the county's land high radon potential.

The busiest year on file was 2014, with 384 tests reported; the quietest, 2020, had 96.

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Douglas County against Minnesota2014 to 2023, years with 30 or more tests: Douglas County 56.5% to 48.3%, the state's pooled share 34.6% in 2023.
Douglas CountyMinnesota, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Douglas County against Minnesota: data table
YearTestsDouglas County, at or above 4 pCi/LMinnesota, pooled
201438456.5%42.9%
201527758.8%43.6%
201633362.5%37.0%
201712965.9%38.2%
201813642.6%38.3%
201912147.9%36.1%
20209658.3%31.8%
202119844.9%33.1%
202213347.4%31.6%
202314548.3%34.6%
Douglas County against Minnesota, the United States and nearby counties, 2023
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Douglas County
Douglas County14548.3%3.7 pCi/LThis county
Minnesota, pooled86 counties, pooled22,44934.6%Not pooled−13.7 points
United States, pooled642 counties, pooled128,74033.4%Not pooled−14.9 points
Renville Countyhighest in the state3775.7%6.3 pCi/L+27.4 points
Lake Countylowest in the state783.8%1.3 pCi/L−44.5 points
Grant County, MNborders it1172.7%7.6 pCi/L+24.4 points
Otter Tail County, MNborders it17161.4%4.8 pCi/L+13.1 points
Pope County, MNborders it5550.9%4.2 pCi/L+2.6 points
Stearns County, MNborders it36646.7%3.7 pCi/L−1.6 points
Stevens County, MNborders it2934.5%3.2 pCi/L−13.8 points
Todd County, MNborders it6323.8%2.0 pCi/L−24.5 points
Where Douglas County's reported results fell, 2023, beside Minnesota and the United States
ResultDouglas County testsDouglas County shareMinnesota shareU.S. shareAgainst Minnesota
Under 2 pCi/L3524.1%36.6%41.4%−12.5 points
2 to 4 pCi/L4027.6%28.9%25.2%−1.3 points
4 pCi/L and above7048.3%34.6%33.4%+13.7 points
Douglas County ranked among the 62 Minnesota counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2023
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Becker County20 of 624652.2%4.1 pCi/L
Steele County21 of 6214051.4%4.0 pCi/L
Pope County22 of 625550.9%4.2 pCi/L
Goodhue County23 of 6221849.5%3.9 pCi/L
Meeker County24 of 625949.2%3.9 pCi/L
Douglas County25 of 6214548.3%3.7 pCi/L
Houston County26 of 6211347.8%3.5 pCi/L
Stearns County27 of 6236646.7%3.7 pCi/L
Olmsted County28 of 6285446.1%3.7 pCi/L
Hubbard County29 of 626346.0%3.8 pCi/L
Nicollet County30 of 6212945.7%3.7 pCi/L
Douglas County radon tests by year, against Minnesota's pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestMinnesota, pooledChange from the row before
202314548.3%3.7 pCi/L19.0 pCi/L34.6%+0.9 points
202213347.4%3.7 pCi/L34.7 pCi/L31.6%+2.5 points
202119844.9%3.5 pCi/L22.5 pCi/L33.1%−13.4 points
20209658.3%5.0 pCi/L40.2 pCi/L31.8%+10.4 points
201912147.9%3.8 pCi/L18.1 pCi/L36.1%+5.3 points
201813642.6%3.3 pCi/L25.5 pCi/L38.3%−23.3 points
201712965.9%4.8 pCi/L28.8 pCi/L38.2%+3.4 points
201633362.5%5.0 pCi/L41.8 pCi/L37.0%+3.7 points
201527758.8%4.6 pCi/L32.3 pCi/L43.6%+2.3 points
201438456.5%4.7 pCi/L114.0 pCi/L42.9%First on file

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

Douglas County, State data

Minnesota's own radon test data

Measured

What Minnesota's own agencies publish about radon tests in Douglas County, with their period. These are not CDC's figures and are never added to them.

MeasuredState figures, not CDC's

What the Minnesota Department of Health reports for Douglas County

Radon Testing (MN Public Health Data Access Portal): home radon tests reported voluntarily by private laboratories and licensed radon measurement professionals, counted by property. Period: 2016-2025.

Share with one or more tests at or above 4 pCi/L

55.8%

714 properties tested with one or more tests at or above 4 pCi/L

Median result

4.3 pCi/L

Average result

5.2 pCi/L

Tests behind these figures

128 properties tested a year on average

  • MDH says these data do not include all of the radon tests conducted in Minnesota.
  • Post-mitigation tests are excluded from the averages and the median; the percentages use each property's highest test.
  • Each home is unique and can have very different results than a neighbor's home; the only way to know is to test.
  • These figures describe tests reported to the Minnesota Department of Health in this area. They count a different set of tests than CDC's figures and are not a reading of any one home.

Measured: Minnesota Department of Health data, 2016-2025.

Douglas County, Geology

The ground under Douglas County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map puts all of Douglas County's mapped land in one class: high radon potential. The map puts 54.4% of Douglas County in the area it calls Central Lowland-Till Prairie and 45.6% in Central Lowland-Western Lake Section. USGS gives both a radon index of 14, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under Douglas County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Central Lowland-Till PrairieSilty and clayey till derived from shale and sandstone.High1454.4%
Central Lowland-Western Lake SectionSandy calcareous till derived from carbonate rocks.High1445.6%

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

Douglas County beside the ground around it

Douglas County has more high-potential ground than Minnesota as a whole: 100% of its land against 61.1%. Of the 6 counties that border it, none has as large a share of high-potential ground; Otter Tail County comes nearest at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Douglas County, the 6 counties bordering it and Minnesota
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Douglas CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Pope CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Grant CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Todd CountyZone 1None22.7%77.3%
Stevens CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Stearns CountyZone 1None21.5%78.5%
Otter Tail CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Minnesota87 counties, pooled by land areaVariesNone38.9%61.1%

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

Local help

Douglas County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Douglas County

Listed radon businesses with an address in Douglas County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Alexandria

What Minnesota's program says
Phone
651-201-4601
Email
health.indoorair@state.mn.us
Licensing of radon professionals
The Radon Licensing Act requires anyone who performs a radon test or radon mitigation, in a building they do not own or lease, must be licensed by MDH.
Disclosure when a home is sold or rented
The Minnesota Radon Awareness Act requires specific disclosure and education be provided to potential home buyers during residential real estate transactions in Minnesota.

What it means

Douglas County, Questions

Questions about radon in Douglas County

Are radon levels high in Douglas County?

In 2023, 48.3% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Douglas County, Minnesota were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 3.7 pCi/L. Of 62 Minnesota counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 24 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 34.6%.

Which counties border Douglas County?

Douglas County borders 6 counties: Pope County, Grant County, Todd County, Stevens County, Stearns County and Otter Tail County.

Products

Douglas County, Products

Testing a home in Douglas County

In Douglas County, 48.3% of 145 tests reported to CDC in 2023 reached 4 pCi/L, against 34.6% pooled across Minnesota. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Douglas 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

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

Explore

Douglas County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Douglas County

Calculated by Radon411

Douglas County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Douglas County

The Census Bureau estimates 40,120 residents in Douglas County for July 1, 2025, 1,025 more than in 2020 (+2.6%). That works out to 63 people per square mile of land. Its largest town, Alexandria, has 15,045 residents, 37.5% of the total. CDC's 145 reported tests for 2023 work out to 3.6 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Minnesota's 3.9.

From Alexandria to Millerville, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Douglas County's.

The cities and towns in Douglas County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Alexandria15,045+4.4%37.5%
Osakisextends beyond Douglas County1,739−1.7%Counted whole
Evansville584−2.7%1.5%
Brandon509+1.0%1.3%
Carlos482−3.2%1.2%
Miltona454+5.3%1.1%
Garfield339−2.3%0.8%
Kensington270+1.5%0.7%
Forada187+8.7%0.5%
Nelson186+2.8%0.5%
Millerville97−3.0%0.2%

11 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). A place that extends beyond Douglas County is counted whole, so it has no share.

Douglas County, Homes

Homes in Douglas County

Douglas County is a place of houses on their own lots: 78% of its 22,087 homes are detached single-family houses, against 66% across Minnesota. Half of its homes were built before 1985, close to Minnesota's 1978: 21% date from before 1960 and 31% from 2000 or later. Owners live in 76% of the occupied homes (Minnesota: 72%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in Douglas County, Minnesota, 2019 to 2023
HomesDouglas CountyMinnesota
Housing units22,0872,519,538
Detached houses78%66%
In buildings of 5 or more13%19%
Mobile homes4%3%
Built before 196021%29%
Built since 200031%22%
Middle year built19851978
Owner-occupied76%72%

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