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Radon in Salem, Oregon

Salem, Oregon spans 2 counties, Marion County and Polk County. Radon data is published by county, so this page sets their figures side by side.

OregonAbout 181,779 people

What this means for you

  • Your area: Salem lies in 2 counties. EPA rates Marion County Zone 3 and Polk County Zone 3, where Zone 1 is the highest of its three radon zones. Zones are predictions for whole counties, and homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones.
  • Local tests: For 2023, the share of radon tests reported to CDC that were at or above 4 pCi/L was 16.0% in Marion County (194 tests) and 10.1% in Polk County (79 tests). EPA's action level is 4 pCi/L.
  • Your home: The only way to know your home’s level is to test it.
How to testFind a certified tester

pCi/L (picocuries per liter) is the unit radon is measured in. EPA recommends fixing a home at 4 pCi/L or above, its action level.

Salem, What is published

What is published for Salem

Information:

Radon data is published by county, not by city

Radon data is published by county, not by city. EPA assigns radon zones to counties, and CDC publishes radon test figures by county. Neither publishes a figure for Salem, so every radon figure on this page belongs to a county and is labelled with it. Only a test tells you about one home.

Each county has its own CDC test figures, shown below side by side. About 181,779 people live in Salem.

Salem, Counties

Salem's counties, side by side

Measured

Each county's own EPA zone and its own published CDC figures for 2023, the newest period any of them has. A county without a figure for that period is shown without one, never with a figure from another year.

  • Marion County
    EPA zone
    Zone 3: Lower predicted potential
    At or above 4 pCi/L
    16.0%
    Median result
    1.4 pCi/L
    Tests reported
    194 tests
    Annual years on file
    10
  • Polk County
    EPA zone
    Zone 3: Lower predicted potential
    At or above 4 pCi/L
    10.1%
    Median result
    1.4 pCi/L
    Tests reported
    79 tests
    Annual years on file
    10
The counties Salem lies in, each with its own EPA zone and its own published CDC figures for 2023
CountyEPA zoneReported tests at or above 4 pCi/LMedian reported resultTests reportedAnnual years on file
Marion CountyZone 3: Lower predicted potential16.0%1.4 pCi/L194 tests10
Polk CountyZone 3: Lower predicted potential10.1%1.4 pCi/L79 tests10

The median reported pre-mitigation result for 2023 was 1.4 pCi/L in Marion County and 1.4 pCi/L in Polk County.

CDC counts radon tests that were reported to it, not homes, and figures from few tests can swing widely from year to year. Each county’s report has its full history.

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones, by county. Measured: CDC tracking data, by county, 2023.

Salem, Local resources

Local resources for Salem

Who to ask in Oregon: the state's radon program, test kits and professionals.

Oregon Radon Awareness Program

Oregon Health Authority

Oregon’s radon program answers questions about testing, mitigation and the rules where you live.

Email
Radon.program@dhsoha.state.or.us
Visit the program's page(opens in a new tab)

Test kits

The program says: Oregon Radon Awareness Program provides a FREE short-term radon test kit to those living in areas of Oregon where little radon testing has been done.

Free and low-cost kitsCompare kits

Radon professionals

Radon testers and mitigators in Oregon, each with how its listing was checked.

Professionals in Oregon

Salem, Questions

Questions about radon in Salem

What radon zone is Salem in?

EPA's Map of Radon Zones classifies counties, not cities. Marion County and Polk County are in Zone 3 (lower predicted potential). A zone is a prediction for a whole county and never tells you the level in one home.

How many radon tests come back high in Salem's counties?

For 2023, the share of radon tests reported to CDC that were at or above 4 pCi/L was 16.0% in Marion County (194 tests) and 10.1% in Polk County (79 tests). Each is that county's own figure, counting tests reported to CDC, not homes. Radon411 does not average or combine them into a figure for the city.

Should I test my home in Salem?

Yes. Testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building. EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. EPA recommends considering a fix when the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L. How to test a home.

The answers use the published figures of Marion County and Polk County, the counties Salem lies in.

Salem, Keep reading

Keep reading

Salem / Next steps

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