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Radon Levels in Rutherford County, North Carolina

EPA puts Rutherford County in Zone 2, its middle radon zone, and only 1 radon test from it is on file with CDC (2022). 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

    25.6%

    3.0 pts above NC

    Rutherford
    25.6%
    NC
    22.6%

    511 tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Median result

    2.4pCi/L

    Below action level

    Rutherford
    2.4 pCi/L
    EPA
    4.0 pCi/L

    Midpoint of the tests, 2008 to 2017

  • Tests reported

    511

    36th of 75 by tests

    Rutherford
    511
    Wake
    9,694

    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 NC

    32 of 75

    Middle half

    Rutherford
    25.6%
    Transylvania
    47.8%

    By share, of 75 with 30+ tests

Read a result for Rutherford County

Starts at Rutherford County's median, 2.4 pCi/L

2.4pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 2.4 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. Rutherford County's median reported result, 2008 to 2017.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Rutherford County, At a glance

Rutherford County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 2: moderate predicted potential

Rutherford 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 Rutherford County, 2022

Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Rutherford County
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, by year, Rutherford County
YearShare of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L
201413.2%
202027.3%
202116.7%
20220.0%

2022: 0.0%. Across these years the share ran from 0.0% to 27.3%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.

What these figures count

Only 1 test was reported to CDC for Rutherford County over 2022, and tests are often run on homes being sold or already suspected of a problem: so few describe neither the county nor this house.

Measured: CDC tracking data. Figure above: 2022. Measured data period: 2005 to 2022 (every CDC figure on file).

How to read these figures

Rutherford County, Compared

Rutherford County radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411

Rutherford County's 511 reported tests over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals had a middle value of 2.4 pCi/L and a maximum of 30.3 pCi/L, and 25.6% reached 4 pCi/L. North Carolina as a whole (99 North Carolina counties, pooled) comes to 22.6%: 3.0 points lower than here.

The newest figure, in 2022, counts only 1 test (0.0% at or above 4 pCi/L), too few to compare, so this reading uses the 511-test figure.

Among its state's counties it ranks 32nd of 75 North Carolina counties with 30 or more tests for the same period. Statewide for the same period, Transylvania County reported the highest share (47.8%) and Nash County the lowest (0.0%).

Below the action level, 219 tests (42.9%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 55.6% statewide, and 161 tests (31.5%) fell between 2 and 4, against 21.8% statewide. The busiest year on file was 2020, with 154 tests reported; the quietest, 2022, had 1.

EPA's 1993 zone map puts Rutherford 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 13.7% in Cherokee County, SC to 41.8% in Henderson County, with Spartanburg County, SC and Cherokee County, SC below Rutherford County. Over 3 years of annual figures the share rose 3.5 points, from 13.2% in 2014 to 16.7% in 2021; its peak was 27.3% in 2020.

CDC also counts 34 tests taken after mitigation in Rutherford 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, Rutherford County against North Carolina2014 to 2021, years with 30 or more tests: Rutherford County 13.2% to 16.7%, the state's pooled share 14.9% in 2021.
Rutherford CountyNorth Carolina, pooled
Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L by year, Rutherford County against North Carolina: data table
YearTestsRutherford County, at or above 4 pCi/LNorth Carolina, pooled
20147613.2%21.9%
202015427.3%21.1%
20214216.7%14.9%
Rutherford County against North Carolina, the United States and nearby counties, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
AreaTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianDifference from Rutherford County
Rutherford County51125.6%2.4 pCi/LThis county
North Carolina, pooled99 counties, pooled73,13922.6%Not pooled−3.0 points
United States, pooled2,661 counties, pooled2,013,54435.7%Not pooled+10.1 points
Transylvania Countyhighest in the state3,86247.8%3.7 pCi/L+22.2 points
Nash Countylowest in the state300.0%0.2 pCi/L−25.6 points
Henderson County, NCborders it4,09341.8%3.3 pCi/L+16.2 points
Cleveland County, NCborders it51139.5%2.8 pCi/L+13.9 points
McDowell County, NCborders it77637.5%2.7 pCi/L+11.9 points
Polk County, NCborders it59429.8%2.4 pCi/L+4.2 points
Buncombe County, NCborders it6,35929.0%2.3 pCi/L+3.4 points
Burke County, NCborders it94028.3%2.4 pCi/L+2.7 points
Spartanburg County, SCborders it3,28019.1%1.7 pCi/L−6.5 points
Cherokee County, SCborders it15313.7%1.6 pCi/L−11.9 points
Where Rutherford County's reported results fell, 2008 to 2017, laboratory, beside North Carolina and the United States
ResultRutherford County testsRutherford County shareNorth Carolina shareU.S. shareAgainst North Carolina
Under 2 pCi/L21942.9%55.6%39.6%−12.7 points
2 to 4 pCi/L16131.5%21.8%24.7%+9.7 points
4 pCi/L and above13125.6%22.6%35.7%+3.0 points
Rutherford County ranked among the 75 North Carolina counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedian
Burke County27 of 7594028.3%2.4 pCi/L
Jackson County28 of 751,02627.7%2.2 pCi/L
Caldwell County29 of 7586127.6%2.5 pCi/L
Rockingham County30 of 7583527.3%2.1 pCi/L
Dare County31 of 754126.8%0.1 pCi/L
Rutherford County32 of 7551125.6%2.4 pCi/L
Davidson County33 of 751,26525.5%1.8 pCi/L
Stanly County34 of 7522925.3%2.2 pCi/L
Catawba County35 of 751,25924.8%2.0 pCi/L
Iredell County36 of 751,14621.8%1.8 pCi/L
Stokes County37 of 7559221.6%1.8 pCi/L
Rutherford County radon tests by year, against North Carolina's pooled share
YearTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LMedianHighestNorth Carolina, pooledChange from the row before
202210.0%1.0 pCi/L1.0 pCi/L10.7%−16.7 points
20214216.7%1.5 pCi/L7.0 pCi/L14.9%−10.6 points
202015427.3%1.8 pCi/L19.1 pCi/L21.1%+14.1 points
20147613.2%1.5 pCi/L13.9 pCi/L21.9%First on file

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

Rutherford County, Geology

The ground under Rutherford County

Predicted

Most of the ground under Rutherford County is one class on USGS's geologic map: 99.7% of its land is moderate radon potential, with 0.3% high. All of it lies in the area the map calls Inner Piedmont Belt, to which USGS gives a radon index of 11, in the moderate band (9 to 11).

USGS's geologic areas under Rutherford County
AreaThe rock, in USGS's wordsPotentialRadon indexShare of land
Inner Piedmont BeltProterozoic through Cambrian biotite gneiss and schist, and mica schist.Moderate1199.7%

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

Rutherford County beside the ground around it

On high-potential ground Rutherford County is close to North Carolina as a whole: 0.3% of its land against 1.3%. Of the 8 counties that border it, 4 have more high-potential ground, Henderson County the most at 52.6%.

Share of land by USGS radon potential: Rutherford County, the 8 counties bordering it and North Carolina
AreaEPA zoneLow potentialModerate potentialHigh potential
Rutherford CountyZone 2None99.7%0.3%
Polk CountyZone 2None100%None
Cleveland CountyZone 2None100%None
McDowell CountyZone 2None75.1%24.9%
Burke CountyZone 2None94.2%5.8%
Henderson CountyZone 1None47.4%52.6%
Buncombe CountyZone 1None88.0%12.0%
Cherokee County, SCZone 22.4%97.6%None
Spartanburg County, SCZone 2None100%None
North Carolina100 counties, pooled by land areaVaries64.8%33.0%1.3%

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

Local help

Rutherford County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Rutherford County

What North Carolina's program says
Licensing of radon professionals
The North Carolina Radon Program is presently developing a Radon Proficiency Program as directed by Session Law 2023-91 House Bill 782 .

What it means

Rutherford County, Questions

Questions about radon in Rutherford County

Are radon levels high in Rutherford County?

In 2022, 0.0% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Rutherford County, North Carolina were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 1.0 pCi/L. Of 75 North Carolina counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 31 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 22.6%.

Which counties border Rutherford County?

Rutherford County borders 8 counties: Polk County, NC, Cleveland County, NC, McDowell County, NC, Burke County, NC, Henderson County, NC, Buncombe County, NC, Cherokee County, SC and Spartanburg County, SC.

Products

Rutherford County, Products

Testing a home in Rutherford County

In Rutherford County, 25.6% of 511 tests reported to CDC over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached 4 pCi/L, against 22.6% pooled across North Carolina. In Zone 2 a short-term kit (2 to 90 days) is the quick first check in Rutherford County; a long-term test tells the year-round average.

Test kits and monitors3

See every kit and monitor

Best radon monitors for Rutherford County homes, compared

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Rutherford County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Rutherford County

Calculated by Radon411

Rutherford County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Rutherford County

The Census Bureau estimates 65,745 residents in Rutherford County for July 1, 2025, 1,375 more than in 2020 (+2.1%). That works out to 116 people per square mile of land. No town dominates: Forest City, the largest, has 7,410 residents, 11.3% of the total. Together its 8 incorporated places hold 27.8% of those residents; the other 72.2% live outside any of them. CDC's 511 reported tests for 2008 to 2017 work out to 7.8 per 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), close to North Carolina's 6.5.

From Forest City to Chimney Rock Village, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Rutherford County's.

The cities and towns in Rutherford County by residents, July 1, 2025
PlaceResidentsSince 2020Share of residents
Forest City7,410+0.7%11.3%
Spindale4,180+2.2%6.4%
Rutherfordton3,723+1.7%5.7%
Lake Lure1,391+1.6%2.1%
Ellenboro738+2.1%1.1%
Bostic359+1.4%0.5%
Ruth345+3.9%0.5%
Chimney Rock Village126−9.4%0.2%

8 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).

Rutherford County, Homes

Homes in Rutherford County

Of Rutherford County's 32,682 homes, 73% are detached houses, against 65% across North Carolina; 17% are mobile homes. The homes are older than North Carolina's as a whole: half were built before 1980 (1990 for North Carolina), and 25% date from before 1960. 74% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner (North Carolina: 66%); in the rest a tenant can run a test, but a fix is the landlord's to make.

Homes in Rutherford County, North Carolina, 2019 to 2023
HomesRutherford CountyNorth Carolina
Housing units32,6824,815,195
Detached houses73%65%
In buildings of 5 or more4%14%
Mobile homes17%11%
Built before 196025%14%
Built since 200021%33%
Middle year built19801990
Owner-occupied74%66%

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