Long-term kit
RL116 long-term radon test kit
- Lab fee extra
Method: Alpha track
In home: 90 days to 12 months
Locations and reports
Radon Levels in Centre County, Pennsylvania
EPA puts Centre County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone, and 39.3% of its 670 reported radon tests (2020) 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
Share at 4+ pCi/L
39.3%
9.0 pts above PA
- Centre
- 39.3%
- PA
- 30.3%
670 tests, 2020
Median result
2.3pCi/L
Below action level
- Centre
- 2.3 pCi/L
- EPA
- 4.0 pCi/L
Midpoint of the tests, 2020
Tests reported
670
27th of 63 by tests
- Centre
- 670
- Montgomery
- 10,508
Reported to CDC before any fix, 2020
EPA radon zone
Zone 1
Highest potential
- Zone 1
- 2
- 3
1 highest, 3 lowest
EPA predicts over 4 pCi/L indoors
Rank in PA
34 of 63
Middle half
- Centre
- 39.3%
- Perry
- 57.7%
By share, of 63 with 30+ tests
Read a result for Centre County
Starts at Centre County's median, 2.3 pCi/L
EPA’s own thresholds; the figures are the area’s, never this home’s.
EPA’s reading of 2.3 pCi/L
Between 2 and 4 pCi/L
- Under 20 to 1.9 pCi/L
- 2 to 4consider a fix
- 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. Centre County's median reported result, 2020.
The data
Centre County, At a glance
Centre County at a glance
Predicted: EPA radon zone
EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential
EPA puts all of Centre County in
USGS geologic potential: High across 82% of the county's area
Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Measured: tests reported to CDC
Radon tests reported for Centre County, 2020
| Year | Share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 53.0% |
| 2015 | 53.4% |
| 2016 | 59.9% |
| 2017 | 53.5% |
| 2018 | 49.4% |
| 2019 | 51.9% |
| 2020 | 39.3% |
2020: 39.3%. Across these years the share ran from 39.3% to 59.9%. Each column counts radon tests reported to CDC that year, not homes.
What these figures count
These are the 670 tests reported to CDC for Centre County over 2020, 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: 2020. Measured data period: 2005 to 2020 (every CDC figure on file).
Centre County, Compared
Centre County radon figures, compared
Calculated by Radon411In Centre County, about 4 in 10 reported tests in 2020 (263 of 670) were at or above EPA's action level. Against the national pool of 25.5%, the gap is 13.8 points higher. Across 67 Pennsylvania counties pooled together, 30.3% of tests reached that level, so Centre County runs 9.0 points above its state.
Of 6 neighbours with a figure, all 6 reported a larger share at or above 4 pCi/L; the spread is 41.4% (Mifflin County) to 54.1% (Clinton County). By share, Centre County is 34th of 63 Pennsylvania counties with 30 or more tests for the same period.
Year by year, 2014 opened at 53.0% and 2020 closed at 39.3% (down 13.7 points), with 2016 the high at 59.9%. Half the tests came in under 2.3 pCi/L and half over it; the single highest reached 254.3 pCi/L. Below the action level, 298 tests (44.5%) came in under 2 pCi/L, against 44.3% statewide, and 109 tests (16.3%) fell between 2 and 4, against 25.4% statewide.
Zone 1 on EPA's map (predicted average above 4 pCi/L) and a 39.3% share point the same way here. USGS geology rates 82% of the county's land high radon potential.
The busiest year on file was 2019, with 837 tests reported; the quietest, 2017, had 665.
Centre CountyPennsylvania, pooled
39.3% % of tests30.3% % of tests
| Year | Tests | Centre County, at or above 4 pCi/L | Pennsylvania, pooled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 715 | 53.0% | 36.1% |
| 2015 | 698 | 53.4% | 37.8% |
| 2016 | 680 | 59.9% | 34.4% |
| 2017 | 665 | 53.5% | 35.1% |
| 2018 | 749 | 49.4% | 30.5% |
| 2019 | 837 | 51.9% | 31.4% |
| 2020 | 670 | 39.3% | 30.3% |
Pooled shares: Radon411's sum of CDC's county counts for one period.
Centre County, State data
Pennsylvania's own radon test data
MeasuredWhat Pennsylvania's own agencies publish about radon tests in Centre County, with their period. These are not CDC's figures and are never added to them.
MeasuredState figures, not CDC's
What Pennsylvania DEP reports for the ZIP codes in Centre County
Pennsylvania DEP publishes its figures by ZIP code, not by county. These are the 35 ZIP codes that lie wholly or partly in Centre County, each with the state's own figures for it. Period: Period not stated by DEP.
| ZIP code | What the state reports |
|---|---|
| 16666 | Basement: average 7.1 pCi/L, 106 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16677 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16686 | Basement: average 8.2 pCi/L, 869 tests; First floor: average 3.0 pCi/L, 103 tests |
| 16801 | Basement: average 9.5 pCi/L, 12,559 tests; First floor: average 6.5 pCi/L, 1,309 tests |
| 16802 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16803 | Basement: average 8.3 pCi/L, 7,448 tests; First floor: average 5.5 pCi/L, 875 tests |
| 16820 | Basement: average 10.7 pCi/L, 90 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16822 | Basement: average 8.2 pCi/L, 164 tests; First floor: average 2.0 pCi/L, 37 tests |
| 16823 | Basement: average 12.1 pCi/L, 5,270 tests; First floor: average 5.4 pCi/L, 487 tests |
| 16826 | Basement: average 4.6 pCi/L, 72 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16827 | Basement: average 9.9 pCi/L, 1,677 tests; First floor: average 6.2 pCi/L, 237 tests |
| 16828 | Basement: average 13.3 pCi/L, 672 tests; First floor: average 5.9 pCi/L, 53 tests |
| 16829 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16832 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16835 | Basement: figures not shown |
| 16841 | Basement: average 13.3 pCi/L, 442 tests; First floor: average 3.4 pCi/L, 64 tests |
| 16844 | Basement: average 10.2 pCi/L, 218 tests; First floor: average 3.6 pCi/L, 38 tests |
| 16845 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16851 | Basement: average 7.8 pCi/L, 370 tests; First floor: average 5.5 pCi/L, 33 tests |
| 16852 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16853 | Basement: average 5.3 pCi/L, 46 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16854 | Basement: average 12.2 pCi/L, 103 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16856 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16859 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16860 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16864 | First floor: figures not shown |
| 16865 | Basement: average 10.3 pCi/L, 412 tests; First floor: average 8.2 pCi/L, 31 tests |
| 16866 | Basement: average 9.9 pCi/L, 642 tests; First floor: average 2.6 pCi/L, 109 tests |
| 16868 | Basement: average 9.8 pCi/L, 247 tests; First floor: average 2.4 pCi/L, 35 tests |
| 16870 | Basement: average 11.1 pCi/L, 2,344 tests; First floor: average 5.7 pCi/L, 108 tests |
| 16872 | Basement: average 8.5 pCi/L, 61 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16874 | Basement: average 12.1 pCi/L, 64 tests; First floor: figures not shown |
| 16875 | Basement: average 14.7 pCi/L, 437 tests; First floor: average 4.5 pCi/L, 38 tests |
| 16877 | Basement: average 15.2 pCi/L, 277 tests; First floor: average 4.3 pCi/L, 61 tests |
| 16882 | Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown |
- DEP's report gives the number of tests, the highest result and the average result for each floor tested; it states no period.
- DEP says the smartest thing to do is to test your home for radon, no matter where you live.
- A ZIP code that crosses the county line is listed whole; its figures cover all of it.
Measured: Pennsylvania DEP data, Period not stated by DEP.
Centre County, Geology
The ground under Centre County
PredictedMost of the ground under Centre County is one class on USGS's geologic map: 82.4% of its land is high radon potential, with 17.6% moderate. The map puts 64.4% of Centre County in the area it calls Appalachian Mountain Section and 17.6% in Allegheny Mountain Section, with 2 smaller areas beside them. USGS gives the first a radon index of 12, in the high band (12 to 17), and the second 11, in the moderate band (9 to 11).
| Area | The rock, in USGS's words | Potential | Radon index | Share of land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Mountain Section | Paleozoic sandstone, shale, and limestone. | High | 12 | 64.4% |
| Allegheny Mountain Section | Pennsylvanian sandstone, siltstone, shale, limestone, coal. | Moderate | 11 | 17.6% |
| Pennsylvanian Rocks of the Pittsburgh Low Plateau | Pennsylvanian marine shale, siltstone, sandstone, limestone, and coal. | High | 14 | 14.1% |
| Mountainous High Plateau | Sandstone, shale and conglomerate. | High | 12 | 3.9% |
Names, descriptions and indexes: U.S. Geological Survey, Geologic Radon Potential Map (2025). Shares: Radon411, from the map cut to the boundary.
Centre County beside the ground around it
Centre County has more high-potential ground than Pennsylvania as a whole: 82.4% of its land against 70.4%. Every one of the 6 counties that border it has more high-potential ground, Huntingdon County the most at 100%.
The map rates the ground, not the air in any home.
Local help
Centre County, Local resources
Radon testing and mitigation in Centre County
Listed radon businesses with an address in Centre County:
- Radon DivisionRadon Division, run by Department of Environmental Protection, licenses or certifies radon professionals and offers free or discounted test kits, and answers questions about testing and mitigation in Pennsylvania.Visit the program’s page(opens in a new tab)
- Free and low-cost kitsThe program says:
Through an EPA-funded program, hospitals give parents of newborn children a packet of information which includes a coupon for a free radon test kit from the DEP.
- Compare kits
- Professionals in Pennsylvania151 professionals are listed in Pennsylvania.
Listed radon professionals by town: State College, Bellefonte, Centre Hall, Unionville
What Pennsylvania's program says
- Phone
- 800-237-2366
- Licensing of radon professionals
The Radon Certification Act requires DEP to establish by regulation, a certification program for persons conducting radon gas and radon progeny testing, laboratory analysis and mitigation of radon contamination in buildings.
What it means
Centre County, Questions
Questions about radon in Centre County
Are radon levels high in Centre County?
In 2020, 39.3% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Centre County, Pennsylvania were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 2.3 pCi/L. Of 63 Pennsylvania counties with 30 or more tests for the same period, 33 reported a higher share; pooled, the state comes to 30.3%.
Which counties border Centre County?
Centre County borders 6 counties: Clinton County, Mifflin County, Clearfield County, Huntingdon County, Union County and Blair County.
Products
Centre County, Products
Testing a home in Centre County
In Centre County, 39.3% of 670 tests reported to CDC in 2020 reached 4 pCi/L, against 30.3% pooled across Pennsylvania. In Zone 1 the year-round level in Centre 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
Monitor
EcoBlu plug-in digital radon monitor with a display
- C-NRPP 2024/25: Not included
- Plug-in
- Alarm
- Screen
Method: Ion chamber
First reading: Within 10 minutes
Short-term kit
RA400 short-term liquid scintillation radon test kit, lab fee included
- Lab fee included
Method: Liquid scintillation
In home: 48 to 96 hours
- See every kit and monitor Test kits and monitors
Test kits and monitors: 1 of 3
Centre County is in EPA Zone 1, the highest predicted radon potential. Best radon monitors for Zone 1 counties like Centre County
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Centre County, Bordering counties
Counties bordering Centre County
Calculated by Radon411- Radon levels in Clinton CountyEPA zone 1
54.1%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 4.5 pCi/L · 133 tests · 14.8 points above Centre County
- Radon levels in Huntingdon CountyEPA zone 1
54.0%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 4.5 pCi/L · 100 tests · 14.7 points above Centre County
- Radon levels in Clearfield CountyEPA zone 1
47.5%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 3.6 pCi/L · 394 tests · 8.2 points above Centre County
- Radon levels in Union CountyEPA zone 1
44.5%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 3.3 pCi/L · 182 tests · 5.2 points above Centre County
- Radon levels in Blair CountyEPA zone 1
42.0%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 3.2 pCi/L · 424 tests · 2.7 points above Centre County
- Radon levels in Mifflin CountyEPA zone 1
41.4%at or above 4 pCi/L
Median 2.7 pCi/L · 111 tests · 2.1 points above Centre County
Centre County, Cities and towns
Cities and towns in Centre County
Centre County's population has barely moved since 2020: 157,393 residents on July 1, 2025 against 158,035 then, by the Census Bureau's estimates. That works out to 142 people per square mile of land. Its largest town, State College, has 40,844 residents, 26.0% of the total. Together its 10 incorporated places hold 34.7% of those residents; the other 65.3% live outside any of them. Reported testing is thin here: 670 tests over 2020, or 4.3 for every 1,000 residents (2025 estimate), where Pennsylvania as a whole comes to 7.2.
From State College to Unionville, CDC publishes no figure by town: each reads Centre County's.
| Place | Residents | Since 2020 | Share of residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| State College | 40,844 | +0.2% | 26.0% |
| Bellefonte | 5,862 | −3.3% | 3.7% |
| Philipsburg | 2,674 | −3.6% | 1.7% |
| Centre Hall | 1,225 | −3.3% | 0.8% |
| Milesburg | 1,062 | −2.0% | 0.7% |
| Millheim | 821 | −1.4% | 0.5% |
| Howard | 659 | −3.4% | 0.4% |
| Snow Shoe | 652 | −2.7% | 0.4% |
| Port Matilda | 571 | −2.9% | 0.4% |
| Unionville | 259 | −3.4% | 0.2% |
10 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).
Centre County, Homes
Homes in Centre County
Of Centre County's 66,023 homes, 59% are detached houses, against 57% across Pennsylvania; 23% are in buildings of five or more homes. Much of Centre County is recent building: 22% of its homes have gone up since 2000 and the middle year built is 1980, against 1965 for Pennsylvania. 62% of occupied homes are lived in by their owner (Pennsylvania: 69%); in the rest a tenant can run a test, but a fix is the landlord's to make.
| Homes | Centre County | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Housing units | 66,023 | 5,779,663 |
| Detached houses | 59% | 57% |
| In buildings of 5 or more | 23% | 13% |
| Mobile homes | 5% | 4% |
| Built before 1960 | 26% | 45% |
| Built since 2000 | 22% | 14% |
| Middle year built | 1980 | 1965 |
| Owner-occupied | 62% | 69% |
Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2019 to 2023: estimates from a sample of homes, looser for a small place. Shares by Radon411.