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Radon Levels in Lyon County, Nevada

EPA puts Lyon County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and 30.4% of its 303 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

How to test this homeFind a certified tester

  • Share at 4+ pCi/L

    30.4%

    7.6 pts above NV

    Lyon
    30.4%
    Nevada
    22.8%

    303 tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Median result

    2.6pCi/L

    Below action level

    Lyon
    2.6 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Tests reported

    303

    5th of 11 by tests

    Lyon
    303
    Washoe
    5,046

    Reported to CDC before any fix, 2008 to 2017

  • 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 Nevada

    6 of 11

    Middle half

    Lyon
    30.4%
    Carson City
    40.6%

    By share, of 11 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Lyon County

Starts at Lyon County's median, 2.6 pCi/L

2.6pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 2.6 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. Lyon County's median reported result, 2008 to 2017.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Lyon County, At a glance

Lyon County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

EPA puts all of Lyon 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: Moderate across 86% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

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

Reported results by concentration band, Lyon County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
Under 2 pCi/L: 35%2 to 4 pCi/L: 34%4 pCi/L and above: 31%

Of 303 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Lyon County, 2008 to 2017, laboratory: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L10735.3%
2 to 4 pCi/L10434.3%
4 pCi/L and above9230.4%
What these figures count

These are the 303 tests reported to CDC for Lyon 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

Lyon County, Compared

Lyon County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

In Lyon County, about 3 in 10 reported tests over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals (92 of 303) were at or above EPA's action level. Against the national pool of 35.7%, the gap is 5.3 points lower. Across 16 Nevada counties pooled together, 22.8% of tests reached that level, so Lyon County runs 7.6 points above its state.

Of 5 neighbours with a figure, 2 reported a larger share at or above 4 pCi/L and 3 a smaller one; the spread is 12.4% (Churchill County) to 40.6% (Carson City). By share, Lyon County is 6th of 11 Nevada counties with 30 or more tests for the same period.

Half the tests came in under 2.6 pCi/L and half over it; the single highest reached 63.2 pCi/L. Below the action level, 107 tests (35.3%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 52.5% statewide, and 104 tests (34.3%) fell between 2 and 4, against 24.8% statewide.

Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 30.4% share point the same way here. USGS geology rates 86% of the county's land moderate radon potential.

CDC's ten-year totals for Lyon County went from 302 tests (2005 to 2014) to 303 (2008 to 2017), the share going from 29.5% to 30.4%.

Lyon County against Nevada, the United States and nearby counties, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Lyon County
Lyon County30330.4%2.6 pCi/LThis county
Nevada, pooled16 counties, pooled10,93022.8%Not pooled−7.6 points
United States, pooled2,661 counties, pooled2,013,54435.7%Not pooled+5.3 points
Elko Countyhighest in the state15940.3%3.1 pCi/L+9.9 points
Clark Countylowest in the state2,5988.1%0.9 pCi/L−22.3 points
Mono County, CAborders it2050.0%4.6 pCi/L+19.6 points
Carson City, NVborders it73140.6%3.3 pCi/L+10.2 points
Douglas County, NVborders it1,61737.0%3.1 pCi/L+6.6 points
Mineral County, NVborders it633.3%3.5 pCi/L+2.9 points
Washoe County, NVborders it5,04622.2%1.9 pCi/L−8.2 points
Storey County, NVborders it3417.6%2.3 pCi/L−12.8 points
Churchill County, NVborders it16112.4%2.1 pCi/L−18.0 points
Where Lyon County's reported results fell, 2008 to 2017, laboratory, beside Nevada and the United States
ResultLyon County testsLyon County shareNevada shareU.S. shareAgainst Nevada
Under 2 pCi/L10735.3%52.5%39.6%−17.2 points
2 to 4 pCi/L10434.3%24.8%24.7%+9.5 points
4 pCi/L and above9230.4%22.8%35.7%+7.6 points
Lyon County ranked among the 11 Nevada counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Carson City1 of 1173140.6%3.3 pCi/L
Elko County2 of 1115940.3%3.1 pCi/L
White Pine County3 of 116939.1%3.1 pCi/L
Douglas County4 of 111,61737.0%3.1 pCi/L
Humboldt County5 of 116532.3%2.3 pCi/L
Lyon County6 of 1130330.4%2.6 pCi/L
Washoe County7 of 115,04622.2%1.9 pCi/L
Storey County8 of 113417.6%2.3 pCi/L
Churchill County9 of 1116112.4%2.1 pCi/L
Nye County10 of 118111.1%1.3 pCi/L
Clark County11 of 112,5988.1%0.9 pCi/L
Lyon County ten-year laboratory totals, against Nevada's pooled share
PeriodTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestNevada, pooledChange from the row before
2008 to 201730330.4%2.6 pCi/L63.2 pCi/L22.8%+1.2 points
2007 to 201632929.2%2.5 pCi/L63.2 pCi/L22.9%Level
2006 to 201531529.2%2.5 pCi/L63.2 pCi/L23.7%−0.3 points
2005 to 201430229.5%2.5 pCi/L63.2 pCi/L23.3%First on file

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

Lyon County, State data

Nevada's own radon test data

Measured

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

MeasuredState figures, not CDC's

What the Nevada Radon Education Program reports for the ZIP codes in Lyon County

The Nevada Radon Education Program publishes its figures by ZIP code, not by county. These are the 8 ZIP codes that lie wholly or partly in Lyon County, each with the state's own figures for it. Period: 1989-2015.

ZIP codes in Lyon County
ZIP codeWhat the state reports
89403average 2.4 pCi/L
89406average 2.8 pCi/L
89408average 2.4 pCi/L
89429average 2.5 pCi/L
89430average 5.3 pCi/L
89444average 4.5 pCi/L
89447average 5.5 pCi/L
89706average 3.1 pCi/L
  • NBMG says the results are based on independently tested homes, not scientific sampling.
  • The service publishes an average for each ZIP code but no count of tests.
  • Site specific testing is the only way to determine local radon concentrations.
  • A ZIP code that crosses the county line is listed whole; its figures cover all of it.

Measured: Nevada Radon Education Program data, 1989-2015.

Lyon County, Geology

The ground under Lyon County

Predicted

Most of the ground under Lyon County is one class on USGS's geologic map: 86.5% of its land is moderate radon potential, with 13.5% high. The map puts 85.9% of Lyon County in the area it calls Great Basin and 13.5% in Great Basin, with one smaller area beside them. USGS gives the first a radon index of 11, in the moderate band (9 to 11), and the second 12, in the high band (12 to 17).

USGS's geologic areas under Lyon County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Great BasinSandstone, shale, limestone, mafic volcanic rocks.Moderate1185.9%
Great BasinMesozoic and Cenozoic granitic rocks.High1213.5%
Sierra NevadaNorthern Sierra Nevada is underlain primarily by Paleozoic and Mesozoic metamorphic rocks. Granitic rocks predominate in the southern Sierrra Nevada , with lesser Mesozoic metamorphic rocks.Moderate90.6%

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

Lyon County beside the ground around it

On high-potential ground Lyon County is close to Nevada as a whole: 13.5% of its land against 17.3%. Of the 7 counties that border it, 1 has more high-potential ground, Churchill County the most at 24.4%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Lyon County, the 7 counties bordering it and Nevada
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Lyon CountyZone 1None86.5%13.5%
Douglas CountyZone 1None100%None
Carson CityZone 1None100%None
Storey CountyZone 2None100%None
Mineral CountyZone 1None86.4%13.6%
Churchill CountyZone 2None75.6%24.4%
Mono County, CAZone 2None100%None
Washoe CountyZone 242.1%57.9%None
Nevada17 counties, pooled by land areaVaries7.9%74.8%17.3%

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

Local help

Lyon County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Lyon County

What Nevada's program says
Email
chrisk@unr.edu

What it means

Lyon County, Questions

Questions about radon in Lyon County

Are radon levels high in Lyon County?

Over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals, 30.4% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Lyon County, Nevada were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 2.6 pCi/L. Of 11 Nevada counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 5 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 22.8%.

Which counties border Lyon County?

Lyon County borders 7 counties: Douglas County, NV, Carson City, NV, Storey County, NV, Mineral County, NV, Churchill County, NV, Mono County, CA and Washoe County, NV.

Products

Lyon County, Products

Testing a home in Lyon County

In Lyon County, 30.4% of 303 tests reported to CDC over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached 4 pCi/L, against 22.8% pooled across Nevada. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Lyon 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

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

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Lyon County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Lyon County

Calculated by Radon411

Lyon County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Lyon County

Lyon County is growing: the Census Bureau puts it at 65,088 residents on July 1, 2025, up 9.5% from 59,464 in 2020. That works out to 32 people per square mile of land. Its largest town, Fernley, has 26,214 residents, 40.3% of the total. Together its 2 incorporated places hold 45.2% of those residents; the other 54.8% live outside any of them. CDC's 303 reported tests for 2008 to 2017 work out to 4.7 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to Nevada's 3.3.

From Fernley to Yerington, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Lyon County's.

The cities and towns in Lyon County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Fernley26,214+13.8%40.3%
Yerington3,227+4.1%5.0%

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).

Lyon County, Homes

Homes in Lyon County

Of Lyon County's 24,998 homes, 73% are detached houses, against 60% across Nevada; 19% are mobile homes. Half of its homes were built before 1996, close to Nevada's 1996: 7% date from before 1960 and 42% from 2000 or later. Owners live in 77% of the occupied homes (Nevada: 59%), so for most households a test and a fix are their own to order.

Homes in Lyon County, Nevada, 2019 to 2023
HomesLyon CountyNevada
Housing units24,9981,307,338
Detached houses73%60%
In buildings of 5 or more4%22%
Mobile homes19%6%
Built before 19607%5%
Built since 200042%40%
Middle year built19961996
Owner-occupied77%59%

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