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Radon Levels in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

EPA puts Lancaster County in Zone 1, its highest radon zone. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so only a test measures yours.

Data checked By Radon411Methodology

Predicted
Zone 1Highest predicted potential
Measured
43.3%of 4,398 tests reported to CDC (2020) were at or above 4 pCi/L
Your home
Test to knowNo area figure here is a reading of your home.
How to test this homeFind a certified tester

The data

Lancaster County, At a glance

Lancaster County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 1: highest predicted potential

This is a county-level geologic prediction. It is not a measurement of any address, and houses with elevated radon are found in all three zones.

What EPA predicts hereScreening level, geology

EPA predicts an average indoor of greater than 4 pCi/L (greater than 150 Bq/m³) across the county as a whole.

USGS geologic potential: High across 100% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Lancaster County, 2020

Tests reported
4,398
At or above 4 pCi/L
43.3%
Median result
3.0 pCi/L
Reported results by concentration band, Lancaster County, 2020
Under 2 pCi/L: 40%2 to 4 pCi/L: 17%4 pCi/L and above: 43%

Of 4,398 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Lancaster County, 2020: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L1,74339.6%
2 to 4 pCi/L75217.1%
4 pCi/L and above1,90343.3%

CDC publishes this figure only for counties here, so there is no state or national number to compare Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with.

What these figures count

Distribution of radon tests reported to CDC, not this house. People testing before a sale, or because they suspect a problem, are over-represented in any reported testing data.

The figures at the top are for 2020: a percentage there is a share of radon tests reported to CDC for Lancaster County in 2020, and a percentage in a view below is a share of the tests reported for the year or period it names. It is not a share of homes in Lancaster County, and it is not a random sample: it counts only the tests people chose to run and that were reported.

CDC works out the shares and the median over pre-mitigation tests, counting a test not marked as before or after mitigation as one of them (4,398 for 2020). The median is the middle result of those tests, not of buildings. CDC also reports the number of buildings tested (2,634), a different count, so the two totals are not interchangeable.

Lancaster County's own published CDC figures beside those of the counties that border it, for the same period.

Each figure is that county’s own published CDC figure for 2020, counting radon tests reported to CDC, not homes. Lancaster County is this page. Nothing is averaged or combined across counties. The test count beside each county is CDC’s published number of pre-mitigation tests behind its figures. Figures from few tests can swing widely from year to year. No published CDC figure for 2020: Harford County, MD; Cecil County, MD. Every Pennsylvania county’s own figure is in the Pennsylvania county table.

Measured: CDC tracking data. Figure above: 2020. Measured data period: 2005 to 2020 (every CDC figure on file).

Lancaster County, State data

Pennsylvania's own radon test data

Measured

What Pennsylvania's own agencies publish about radon tests in Lancaster 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 Lancaster County

Pennsylvania DEP publishes its figures by ZIP code, not by county. These are the 61 ZIP codes that lie wholly or partly in Lancaster County, each with the state's own figures for it. Period: Period not stated by DEP.

ZIP codes in Lancaster County
ZIP codeWhat the state reports
17022Basement: average 7.5 pCi/L, 4,903 tests; First floor: average 4.6 pCi/L, 404 tests
17073Basement: average 11.7 pCi/L, 559 tests; First floor: average 8.1 pCi/L, 52 tests
17501Basement: average 14.3 pCi/L, 726 tests; First floor: average 6.6 pCi/L, 63 tests
17502Basement: average 8.7 pCi/L, 176 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17504Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17505Basement: average 9.9 pCi/L, 143 tests; First floor: average 7.8 pCi/L, 30 tests
17506Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17507Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17508Basement: average 14.9 pCi/L, 210 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17509Basement: average 14.1 pCi/L, 364 tests; First floor: average 6.5 pCi/L, 59 tests
17512Basement: average 12.4 pCi/L, 1,538 tests; First floor: average 7.2 pCi/L, 168 tests
17516Basement: average 12.6 pCi/L, 624 tests; First floor: average 9.9 pCi/L, 63 tests
17517Basement: average 6.8 pCi/L, 1,621 tests; First floor: average 3.8 pCi/L, 152 tests
17518Basement: average 26.1 pCi/L, 99 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17519Basement: average 9.8 pCi/L, 464 tests; First floor: average 3.0 pCi/L, 38 tests
17520Basement: average 9.8 pCi/L, 1,122 tests; First floor: average 5.5 pCi/L, 193 tests
17522Basement: average 10.5 pCi/L, 4,389 tests; First floor: average 6.1 pCi/L, 474 tests
17527Basement: average 16.1 pCi/L, 504 tests; First floor: average 7.7 pCi/L, 48 tests
17529Basement: average 6.2 pCi/L, 235 tests; First floor: average 4.6 pCi/L, 36 tests
17532Basement: average 24.7 pCi/L, 438 tests; First floor: average 15.6 pCi/L, 75 tests
17534Basement: figures not shown
17535Basement: average 11.4 pCi/L, 87 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17536Basement: average 21.0 pCi/L, 338 tests; First floor: average 14.2 pCi/L, 33 tests
17538Basement: average 9.4 pCi/L, 1,803 tests; First floor: average 5.0 pCi/L, 141 tests
17540Basement: average 11.1 pCi/L, 1,333 tests; First floor: average 6.7 pCi/L, 166 tests
17543Basement: average 13.9 pCi/L, 11,600 tests; First floor: average 8.0 pCi/L, 1,228 tests
17545Basement: average 17.7 pCi/L, 3,802 tests; First floor: average 8.7 pCi/L, 417 tests
17547Basement: average 9.5 pCi/L, 1,029 tests; First floor: average 4.3 pCi/L, 98 tests
17550Basement: average 7.9 pCi/L, 92 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17551Basement: average 7.9 pCi/L, 1,631 tests; First floor: average 4.2 pCi/L, 195 tests
17552Basement: average 11.5 pCi/L, 3,271 tests; First floor: average 6.1 pCi/L, 470 tests
17554Basement: average 10.7 pCi/L, 1,080 tests; First floor: average 5.4 pCi/L, 118 tests
17555Basement: average 9.4 pCi/L, 562 tests; First floor: average 5.2 pCi/L, 47 tests
17557Basement: average 8.7 pCi/L, 1,221 tests; First floor: average 7.2 pCi/L, 134 tests
17560Basement: average 20.7 pCi/L, 498 tests; First floor: average 9.2 pCi/L, 38 tests
17562Basement: average 25.4 pCi/L, 217 tests; First floor: average 11.0 pCi/L, 37 tests
17563Basement: average 14.6 pCi/L, 255 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17565Basement: average 24.9 pCi/L, 479 tests; First floor: average 11.9 pCi/L, 72 tests
17566Basement: average 15.5 pCi/L, 1,322 tests; First floor: average 8.7 pCi/L, 97 tests
17568Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17569Basement: average 5.1 pCi/L, 706 tests; First floor: average 4.0 pCi/L, 75 tests
17570Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
17572Basement: average 10.1 pCi/L, 228 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17576Basement: average 11.2 pCi/L, 40 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17578Basement: average 6.7 pCi/L, 535 tests; First floor: average 5.6 pCi/L, 36 tests
17579Basement: average 9.5 pCi/L, 955 tests; First floor: average 7.9 pCi/L, 93 tests
17581Basement: average 4.6 pCi/L, 40 tests; First floor: figures not shown
17582Basement: average 9.0 pCi/L, 233 tests; First floor: average 3.1 pCi/L, 41 tests
17584Basement: average 11.1 pCi/L, 1,475 tests; First floor: average 5.9 pCi/L, 217 tests
17601Basement: average 8.7 pCi/L, 14,480 tests; First floor: average 5.7 pCi/L, 1,659 tests
17602Basement: average 6.1 pCi/L, 5,508 tests; First floor: average 3.9 pCi/L, 1,023 tests
17603Basement: average 6.1 pCi/L, 8,203 tests; First floor: average 3.7 pCi/L, 1,023 tests
17606Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
19310Basement: average 10.8 pCi/L, 447 tests; First floor: average 5.1 pCi/L, 57 tests
19344Basement: average 5.6 pCi/L, 1,706 tests; First floor: average 2.8 pCi/L, 188 tests
19362Basement: average 8.0 pCi/L, 592 tests; First floor: average 3.5 pCi/L, 63 tests
19363Basement: average 4.9 pCi/L, 2,485 tests; First floor: average 2.8 pCi/L, 237 tests
19501Basement: average 3.2 pCi/L, 62 tests; First floor: figures not shown
19540Basement: average 7.5 pCi/L, 1,625 tests; First floor: average 5.2 pCi/L, 165 tests
19543Basement: average 6.8 pCi/L, 1,298 tests; First floor: average 4.9 pCi/L, 70 tests
19551Basement: average 19.1 pCi/L, 954 tests; First floor: average 10.1 pCi/L, 82 tests
  • 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.

Radon Action Brief

National Radon Action MonthPre-sale

Lancaster County's radon brief, in one dated file.

  • Your area's radon record, explained.
  • Your plan to test this week.
  • Fix costs and pros near you.

Save 64%Sale price: $8.99Price after the sale: $25Ends Jan 31Then $25

Get the Lancaster County BriefSee a free sample

Area data, not a test of the building.

Local help

Lancaster County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Lancaster County

Who tests and fixes radon in Lancaster County: listed businesses, Pennsylvania's radon program and test kits.

Listed radon businesses with an address in Lancaster County:

Listed radon professionals by town: Lancaster, Akron

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...

What it means

Lancaster County, Questions

Questions about radon in Lancaster County

Common questions

8 questions, answered from the figures above

Who does radon mitigation in Lancaster County?

No listed mitigator names Lancaster County as a service area yet; the Pennsylvania directory lists 153 companies. EPA recommends having a qualified contractor fix a home with a radon problem, because lowering high radon levels takes technical knowledge and special skills, and some states require the work to be done by a licensed or certified professional. Your state radon program is the place to check whether Pennsylvania requires one.

Radon mitigation: how it worksRadon mitigation costRadon mitigation systemsMitigators in Pennsylvania

Are radon levels high in Lancaster County?

In 2020, 43.3% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 3.0 pCi/L. That is a share of reported tests, not of homes. EPA places Lancaster County in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so the figures describe the area, not your house. Testing is the only way to know the radon level in a specific building.

Radon levels: what a result meansWhat is radon?Radon levels in Pennsylvania

How do I get a radon test in Lancaster County?

EPA says you can test your home yourself or hire a qualified radon test company, and that either approach takes only a small amount of time and effort. No radon testing business listed on Radon411 has an address in Lancaster County or names it as a service area yet. The Pennsylvania radon program is the place to ask about certified testers and any test kit offer it runs.

Radon testing: how to test a homeRadon test kits comparedFree and low-cost kits by stateRadon Action Month checklistPennsylvania radon program

What EPA radon zone is Lancaster County in?

EPA places Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in Zone 1, which EPA describes as highest predicted potential for the area. A zone is a prediction for the whole county and never determines whether a particular home should be tested. EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.

Should I test my home in Lancaster County?

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.

When is the best time of year to test?

EPA says short-term tests stay in the home from 2 to 90 days and that all radon tests should run a minimum of 48 hours; long-term tests stay more than 90 days. EPA's guides do not name a best season: they say radon levels tend to vary from day to day and season to season, so a long-term test is more likely than a short-term test to tell you the year-round average.

What does it cost to test?

EPA's Citizen's Guide calls testing easy and inexpensive, and EPA's Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide says passive short-term and long-term devices are generally inexpensive, while active devices may cost more. No national average price is published for this, so Radon411 does not give one. What testing costs.

Which counties border Lancaster County?

Lancaster County borders 7 counties, derived from Census county geometry. Radon potential follows geology rather than county lines, so a bordering county's report can be relevant.

If you own, buy, sell or rent

What these figures mean for each reader, with the guide that covers it

The reported-test figures on this page describe Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 2020. They describe tests other people carried out in other buildings, and none of them measures yours.

Lancaster County in figures

The figures above, said in words

What the published data says about Lancaster County, in words. A zone and a share of tests describe an area, never the level in any one home.

    • Predicted

      Predicted

      EPA places Lancaster County in Zone 1, highest predicted potential, as it does 48 other counties of Pennsylvania's 67.

      Of the 7 bordering counties, EPA places Berks County, Chester County, Dauphin County, Harford County, MD, Lebanon County and York County in Zone 1 and Cecil County, MD in Zone 2.

  • Reported tests

    Measured

    CDC has annual figures for Lancaster County for 7 years, 2014 to 2020. In 2020, 43.3% of 4,398 reported tests were at or above 4 pCi/L.

    Across those years the share ranged from 42.7% (2019) to 49.9% (2015). Few tests in a year can move it a long way.

  • Local record

    Pennsylvania's radon program is the Radon Division, run by Department of Environmental Protection; its contacts are under Local resources.

    The county's largest incorporated places are Lancaster, Ephrata and Elizabethtown; the figures here cover them as part of the county.

Products

Lancaster County, Products

Testing and mitigation products

Whatever the figures for Lancaster County show, only a test tells you about one home.

Test kits and monitors42

See all products

As an Amazon Associate, Radon411 earns from qualifying purchases.

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

Testing

5

Mitigation

3

Explore

Lancaster County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Lancaster County

Calculated by Radon411
Why bordering counties matter

7 counties share a boundary with Lancaster County, computed from Census county geometry. Radon potential follows geology rather than county lines, so a bordering county’s report can be worth reading alongside this one.

Lancaster County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Lancaster County

The radon figures on this page are for Lancaster County as a whole. They do not differ by city or town.

  • Lancaster
  • Ephrata
  • Elizabethtown
  • Columbia
  • Lititz
  • Millersville
  • Mount Joy
  • New Holland
  • Manheim
  • East Petersburg
  • Akron
  • Denver
  • Strasburg
  • Mountville
  • Marietta
  • Quarryville
  • Adamstown (part)
  • Terre Hill
  • Christiana

19 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files. “(part)” marks a place that extends into another county.

Lancaster County, Next steps

What to do next

  1. LearnKnow what radon isWhat radon is, how it gets indoors, and why a county zone is not a reading for your home.Learn about radon
  2. TestTest the building you live inShort-term or long-term, where the device goes, and closed-house conditions.How to test
  3. FixBring a high level downHow a mitigation system works, and the retest that confirms it.How mitigation works
  4. Find a proHire a certified professionalMeasurement and mitigation professionals by state, with their certifications.Find a professional

Informational. Follow EPA guidance. EPA says all radon tests should be taken for a minimum of 48 hours, with windows and doors closed from 12 hours before a short-term test.