Skip to content
RADON411

Locations and reports

Radon Levels in Wright County, Minnesota

EPA puts Wright County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 42.4% of the 552 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

    42.4%

    7.8 pts above MN

    Wright
    42.4%
    Minnesota
    34.6%

    552 tests, 2023

  • Median result

    3.4pCi/L

    Below action level

    Wright
    3.4 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2023

  • Tests reported

    552

    8th of 62 by tests

    Wright
    552
    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

    33 of 62

    Middle half

    Wright
    42.4%
    Renville
    75.7%

    By share, of 62 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Wright County

Starts at Wright County's median, 3.4 pCi/L

3.4pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 3.4 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. Wright County's median reported result, 2023.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Wright County, At a glance

Wright County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Wright 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 Wright County, 2023

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Wright County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Wright County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201452.0%
201549.6%
201644.5%
201750.0%
201842.6%
201946.3%
202040.8%
202144.7%
202241.2%
202342.4%

2023: 42.4%. Across these years the share ran from 40.8% to 52.0%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

These are the 552 tests reported to CDC for Wright 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

Wright County, Compared

Wright County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

In Wright County, about 4 in 10 reported tests in 2023 (234 of 552) were at or above EPA's action level. Against the national pool of 33.4%, the gap is 9.0 points higher. Across 86 Minnesota counties pooled together, 34.6% of tests reached that level, so Wright County runs 7.8 points above its state.

Of 6 neighbours with a figure, 3 reported a larger share at or above 4 pCi/L and 3 a smaller one; the spread is 21.7% (Sherburne County) to 55.7% (McLeod County). By share, Wright County is 33rd of 62 Minnesota counties with 30 or more tests for the same period.

Year by year, 2014 opened at 52.0% and 2023 closed at 42.4% (down 9.6 points), with 2014 the high at 52.0%. Half the tests came in under 3.4 pCi/L and half over it; the single highest reached 100.0 pCi/L. Below the action level, 159 tests (28.8%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 36.6% statewide, and 159 tests (28.8%) fell between 2 and 4, against 28.9% statewide.

Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 42.4% 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 1,148 tests reported; the quietest, 2019, had 410.

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Wright County against Minnesota2014 to 2023, years with 30 or more tests: Wright County 52.0% to 42.4%, the state's pooled share 34.6% in 2023.
Wright CountyMinnesota, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Wright County against Minnesota: data table
YearTestsWright County, at or above 4 pCi/LMinnesota, pooled
20141,14852.0%42.9%
201599149.6%43.6%
201678744.5%37.0%
201785850.0%38.2%
201880142.6%38.3%
201941046.3%36.1%
202052940.8%31.8%
202171144.7%33.1%
202249341.2%31.6%
202355242.4%34.6%
Wright County against Minnesota, the United States and nearby counties, 2023
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Wright County
Wright County55242.4%3.4 pCi/LThis county
Minnesota, pooled86 counties, pooled22,44934.6%Not pooled−7.8 points
United States, pooled642 counties, pooled128,74033.4%Not pooled−9.0 points
Renville Countyhighest in the state3775.7%6.3 pCi/L+33.3 points
Lake Countylowest in the state783.8%1.3 pCi/L−38.6 points
McLeod County, MNborders it13155.7%4.7 pCi/L+13.3 points
Meeker County, MNborders it5949.2%3.9 pCi/L+6.8 points
Stearns County, MNborders it36646.7%3.7 pCi/L+4.3 points
Carver County, MNborders it48934.6%2.8 pCi/L−7.8 points
Hennepin County, MNborders it6,54532.0%2.7 pCi/L−10.4 points
Sherburne County, MNborders it35121.7%1.8 pCi/L−20.7 points
Where Wright County's reported results fell, 2023, beside Minnesota and the United States
ResultWright County testsWright County shareMinnesota shareU.S. shareAgainst Minnesota
Under 2 pCi/L15928.8%36.6%41.4%−7.8 points
2 to 4 pCi/L15928.8%28.9%25.2%−0.1 points
4 pCi/L and above23442.4%34.6%33.4%+7.8 points
Wright 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
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
Mower County31 of 629145.1%3.7 pCi/L
Martin County32 of 628143.2%3.5 pCi/L
Wright County33 of 6255242.4%3.4 pCi/L
Rock County34 of 625942.4%2.0 pCi/L
Wabasha County35 of 6211142.3%3.3 pCi/L
Carlton County36 of 6210541.9%3.1 pCi/L
Swift County37 of 623641.7%3.8 pCi/L
Scott County38 of 6266941.4%3.4 pCi/L
Wright County radon tests by year, against Minnesota's pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestMinnesota, pooledChange from the row before
202355242.4%3.4 pCi/L100.0 pCi/L34.6%+1.2 points
202249341.2%3.2 pCi/L31.7 pCi/L31.6%−3.5 points
202171144.7%3.4 pCi/L48.9 pCi/L33.1%+3.9 points
202052940.8%3.2 pCi/L26.7 pCi/L31.8%−5.5 points
201941046.3%3.7 pCi/L28.9 pCi/L36.1%+3.7 points
201880142.6%3.4 pCi/L42.7 pCi/L38.3%−7.4 points
201785850.0%4.0 pCi/L63.6 pCi/L38.2%+5.5 points
201678744.5%3.5 pCi/L173.3 pCi/L37.0%−5.1 points
201599149.6%3.9 pCi/L61.6 pCi/L43.6%−2.4 points
20141,14852.0%4.1 pCi/L32.9 pCi/L42.9%First on file

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

Wright County, State data

Minnesota's own radon test data

Measured

What Minnesota's own agencies publish about radon tests in Wright 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 Wright 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

42.3%

2,790 properties tested with one or more tests at or above 4 pCi/L

Median result

3.2 pCi/L

Average result

4.1 pCi/L

Tests behind these figures

659 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.

Wright County, Geology

The ground under Wright County

Predicted

USGS's geologic map puts all of Wright County's mapped land in one class: high radon potential. All of it lies in the area the map calls Central Lowland-Till Prairie, to which USGS gives a radon index of 14, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under Wright County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Central Lowland-Till PrairieSilty and clayey till derived from shale and sandstone.High14100%

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

Wright County beside the ground around it

Wright 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; Carver County comes nearest at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Wright County, the 6 counties bordering it and Minnesota
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Wright CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Sherburne CountyZone 1None1.5%98.5%
Carver CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Hennepin CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Meeker CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
McLeod CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Stearns CountyZone 1None21.5%78.5%
Minnesota87 counties, pooled by land areaVariesNone38.9%61.1%

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

Local help

Wright County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Wright County

Listed radon businesses with an address in Wright County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Otsego, Buffalo, Monticello, Rockford, Maple Lake

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

Wright County, Questions

Questions about radon in Wright County

Are radon levels high in Wright County?

In 2023, 42.4% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Wright County, Minnesota were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 3.4 pCi/L. Of 62 Minnesota counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 32 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 34.6%.

Which counties border Wright County?

Wright County borders 6 counties: Sherburne County, Carver County, Hennepin County, Meeker County, McLeod County and Stearns County.

Products

Wright County, Products

Testing a home in Wright County

In Wright County, 42.4% of 552 tests reported to CDC in 2023 reached 4 pCi/L, against 34.6% pooled across Minnesota. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Wright 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

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

Explore

Wright County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Wright County

Calculated by Radon411

Wright County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Wright County

Wright County is growing: the Census Bureau puts it at 157,559 residents on July 1, 2025, up 11.1% from 141,876 in 2020. That works out to 238 people per square mile of land. No town dominates: Otsego, the largest, has 24,525 residents, 15.6% of the total. CDC's 552 reported tests for 2023 work out to 3.5 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Minnesota's 3.9.

From Otsego to South Haven, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Wright County's.

The 12 largest cities and towns in Wright County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Otsego24,525+21.6%15.6%
St. Michael22,498+23.1%14.3%
Buffalo16,878+3.7%10.7%
Monticello15,670+8.2%9.9%
Daytonextends beyond Wright County11,402+53.4%Counted whole
Albertville8,544+8.1%5.4%
Delano7,788+19.4%4.9%
Rockfordextends beyond Wright County4,827+7.6%Counted whole
Hanoverextends beyond Wright County4,392+23.6%Counted whole
Montrose3,986+5.1%2.5%
Annandale3,801+13.7%2.4%
Cokato2,793−0.1%1.8%
  • Waverly
  • Howard Lake
  • Clearwater (part)
  • Maple Lake
  • South Haven

17 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files. “(part)” marks a place that extends into another county. Residents: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for July 1, 2025 (Vintage 2025). A place that extends beyond Wright County is counted whole, so it has no share.

Wright County, Homes

Homes in Wright County

Wright County is a place of houses on their own lots: 79% of its 56,153 homes are detached single-family houses, against 66% across Minnesota. Much of Wright County is recent building: 40% of its homes have gone up since 2000 and the middle year built is 1994, against 1978 for Minnesota. Owners live in 84% of the occupied homes (Minnesota: 72%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in Wright County, Minnesota, 2019 to 2023
HomesWright CountyMinnesota
Housing units56,1532,519,538
Detached houses79%66%
In buildings of 5 or more7%19%
Mobile homes4%3%
Built before 196013%29%
Built since 200040%22%
Middle year built19941978
Owner-occupied84%72%

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