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Radon Levels in Phelps County, Nebraska

EPA puts Phelps County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and high results are common there: 65.1% of the 43 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

    65.1%

    26.9 pts above NE

    Phelps
    65.1%
    Nebraska
    38.2%

    43 tests, 2023

  • Median result

    4.9pCi/L

    Action level reached

    Phelps
    4.9 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2023

  • Tests reported

    43

    29th of 33 by tests

    Phelps
    43
    Lancaster
    4,058

    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 Nebraska

    12 of 33

    Middle half

    Phelps
    65.1%
    Gage
    79.8%

    By share, of 33 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Phelps County

Starts at Phelps County's median, 4.9 pCi/L

4.9pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 4.9 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. Phelps County's median reported result, 2023.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Phelps County, At a glance

Phelps County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Phelps 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 93% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Phelps County, 2023

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Phelps County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Phelps County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201465.2%
201559.5%
201646.8%
201756.1%
201864.1%
201971.4%
202047.5%
202149.4%
202236.1%
202365.1%

2023: 65.1%. Across these years the share ran from 36.1% to 71.4%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

These are the 43 tests reported to CDC for Phelps 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

Phelps County, Compared

Phelps County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

More than half: 65.1% of the 43 radon tests reported to CDC for Phelps County in 2023 read at least 4 pCi/L. That places it 12th of 33 Nebraska counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. That is 26.9 points above the 38.2% pooled from 86 Nebraska counties.

The median result, 4.9 pCi/L, sits above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level, and the top reported result was 11.4 pCi/L. The rest split 7.0% under 2 pCi/L and 27.9% from 2 to 4 (Nebraska: 39.2% and 22.6%). Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 65.1% share point the same way here.

No bordering county with a figure for the same period reported a higher share; the closest is Buffalo County at 55.5%, the lowest Dawson County at 18.6%. Statewide for the same period, Gage County reported the highest share (79.8%) and Dakota County the lowest (3.1%).

The busiest year on file was 2017, with 444 tests reported; the quietest, 2022, had 36.

Over 10 years of annual figures the share held within 2 points, from 65.2% in 2014 to 65.1% in 2023; its peak was 71.4% in 2019. Nationally, every county with a figure for the same period pools to 33.4%; Phelps County sits 31.7 points above it. CDC also counts 8 tests taken after mitigation in Phelps 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, Phelps County against Nebraska2014 to 2023, years with 30 or more tests: Phelps County 65.2% to 65.1%, the state's pooled share 38.2% in 2023.
Phelps CountyNebraska, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Phelps County against Nebraska: data table
YearTestsPhelps County, at or above 4 pCi/LNebraska, pooled
201413865.2%50.5%
201523759.5%53.3%
201633346.8%47.4%
201744456.1%47.7%
201819264.1%44.5%
201929471.4%44.3%
202029747.5%42.2%
202126749.4%34.9%
20223636.1%34.0%
20234365.1%38.2%
Phelps County against Nebraska, the United States and nearby counties, 2023
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Phelps County
Phelps County4365.1%4.9 pCi/LThis county
Nebraska, pooled86 counties, pooled11,16338.2%Not pooled−26.9 points
United States, pooled642 counties, pooled128,74033.4%Not pooled−31.7 points
Gage Countyhighest in the state8479.8%9.4 pCi/L+14.7 points
Dakota Countylowest in the state1303.1%0.4 pCi/L−62.0 points
Gosper County, NEborders it7100.0%8.6 pCi/L+34.9 points
Harlan County, NEborders it683.3%6.7 pCi/L+18.2 points
Kearney County, NEborders it2466.7%5.4 pCi/L+1.6 points
Buffalo County, NEborders it17355.5%4.2 pCi/L−9.6 points
Furnas County, NEborders it633.3%3.2 pCi/L−31.8 points
Dawson County, NEborders it9718.6%2.0 pCi/L−46.5 points
Franklin County, NEborders it10.0%3.3 pCi/L−65.1 points
Where Phelps County's reported results fell, 2023, beside Nebraska and the United States
ResultPhelps County testsPhelps County shareNebraska shareU.S. shareAgainst Nebraska
Under 2 pCi/L37.0%39.2%41.4%−32.2 points
2 to 4 pCi/L1227.9%22.6%25.2%+5.3 points
4 pCi/L and above2865.1%38.2%33.4%+26.9 points
Phelps County ranked among the 33 Nebraska counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2023
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Cuming County7 of 333770.3%6.8 pCi/L
Stanton County8 of 333268.8%7.8 pCi/L
Cass County9 of 3311168.5%5.5 pCi/L
Madison County10 of 3321366.7%5.8 pCi/L
Adams County11 of 3315566.5%4.8 pCi/L
Phelps County12 of 334365.1%4.9 pCi/L
Hamilton County13 of 334864.6%5.0 pCi/L
York County14 of 336264.5%5.7 pCi/L
Otoe County15 of 335964.4%5.7 pCi/L
Red Willow County16 of 335362.3%4.6 pCi/L
Dodge County17 of 3311662.1%5.0 pCi/L
Phelps County radon tests by year, against Nebraska's pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestNebraska, pooledChange from the row before
20234365.1%4.9 pCi/L11.4 pCi/L38.2%+29.0 points
20223636.1%3.3 pCi/L8.2 pCi/L34.0%−13.3 points
202126749.4%3.9 pCi/L28.8 pCi/L34.9%+1.9 points
202029747.5%3.9 pCi/L18.4 pCi/L42.2%−23.9 points
201929471.4%5.6 pCi/L22.8 pCi/L44.3%+7.3 points
201819264.1%4.7 pCi/L17.3 pCi/L44.5%+8.0 points
201744456.1%4.3 pCi/L21.6 pCi/L47.7%+9.3 points
201633346.8%3.9 pCi/L28.0 pCi/L47.4%−12.7 points
201523759.5%4.7 pCi/L16.5 pCi/L53.3%−5.7 points
201413865.2%4.8 pCi/L16.0 pCi/L50.5%First on file

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

Phelps County, Geology

The ground under Phelps County

Predicted

Most of the ground under Phelps County is one class on USGS's geologic map: 93.0% of its land is high radon potential, with 7.0% moderate. The map puts 93.0% of Phelps County in the area it calls Loess over K-T and 7.0% in Loess over Tertiary sediments. USGS gives the first a radon index of 13, in the high band (12 to 17), and the second 11, in the moderate band (9 to 11).

USGS's geologic areas under Phelps County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Loess over K-TLoess-mantled Tertiary and Cretaceous bedrock.High1393.0%
Loess over Tertiary sedimentsTertiary bedrock covered by varying thicknesses of loess.Moderate117.0%

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

Phelps County beside the ground around it

Phelps County has more high-potential ground than Nebraska as a whole: 93.0% of its land against 40.9%. Of the 7 counties that border it, 4 have more high-potential ground, Gosper County the most at 100%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Phelps County, the 7 counties bordering it and Nebraska
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Phelps CountyZone 1None7.0%93.0%
Gosper CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Harlan CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Kearney CountyZone 1None17.1%82.9%
Buffalo CountyZone 2None100%None
Franklin CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Dawson CountyZone 2None76.1%23.9%
Furnas CountyZone 1NoneNone100%
Nebraska93 counties, pooled by land areaVaries28.2%30.9%40.9%

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

Local help

Phelps County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Phelps County

Listed radon businesses with an address in Phelps County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Bertrand, Loomis

What Nebraska's program says
Phone
(402) 471-1005
Licensing of radon professionals
If radon testing is done in schools, offices, or other places of work, it must be done by a licensed radon measurement business.

What it means

Phelps County, Questions

Questions about radon in Phelps County

Are radon levels high in Phelps County?

In 2023, 65.1% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Phelps County, Nebraska were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 4.9 pCi/L. Of 33 Nebraska counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 11 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 38.2%.

Which counties border Phelps County?

Phelps County borders 7 counties: Gosper County, Harlan County, Kearney County, Buffalo County, Franklin County, Dawson County and Furnas County.

Products

Phelps County, Products

Testing a home in Phelps County

In Phelps County, 65.1% of 43 tests reported to CDC in 2023 reached 4 pCi/L, against 38.2% pooled across Nebraska. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Phelps 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

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

Explore

Phelps County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Phelps County

Calculated by Radon411

Phelps County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Phelps County

Phelps County's population has barely moved since 2020: 8,994 residents on July 1, 2025 against 8,978 then, by the Census Bureau's estimates. That works out to 17 people per square mile of land. Holdrege alone is home to 5,555 of them, 61.8% of the total. Together its 5 incorporated places hold 76.9% of those residents; the other 23.1% live outside any of them. CDC's 43 reported tests for 2023 work out to 4.8 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Nebraska's 5.5.

From Holdrege to Atlanta, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Phelps County's.

The cities and towns in Phelps County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Holdrege5,555+0.1%61.8%
Bertrand698−1.8%7.8%
Loomis387−1.5%4.3%
Funk171−2.3%1.9%
Atlanta102+1.0%1.1%

5 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).

Phelps County, Homes

Homes in Phelps County

Phelps County is a place of houses on their own lots: 79% of its 4,154 homes are detached single-family houses, against 72% across Nebraska. The homes are older than Nebraska's as a whole: half were built before 1966 (1975 for Nebraska), and 42% date from before 1960. 70% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner (Nebraska: 67%); in the rest a tenant can run a test, but a fix is the landlord's to make.

Homes in Phelps County, Nebraska, 2019 to 2023
HomesPhelps CountyNebraska
Housing units4,154855,631
Detached houses79%72%
In buildings of 5 or more8%17%
Mobile homes4%3%
Built before 196042%32%
Built since 200012%22%
Middle year built19661975
Owner-occupied70%67%

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