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Radon Levels in Potter County, Pennsylvania

EPA puts Potter County in Zone 2, its middle radon zone. Homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, so only a test measures yours.

Data checked By Radon411Methodology

Predicted
Zone 2Moderate predicted potential
Measured
17.9%of 195 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.

The data

Potter County, At a glance

Potter County at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

EPA Zone 2: moderate 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 2 to 4 pCi/L (75 to 150 Bq/m³) across the county as a whole.

USGS geologic potential: Moderate across 59% of the county's area

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

Radon tests reported for Potter County, 2020

Tests reported
195
At or above 4 pCi/L
17.9%
Median result
1.1 pCi/L
Reported results by concentration band, Potter County, 2020
Under 2 pCi/L: 66%2 to 4 pCi/L: 16%4 pCi/L and above: 18%

Of 195 pre-mitigation tests reported to CDC, not homes in this area.

Reported results by concentration band, Potter County, 2020: data table
Result bandTests MeasuredShare Measured
Under 2 pCi/L12966.2%
2 to 4 pCi/L3115.9%
4 pCi/L and above3517.9%

CDC publishes this figure only for counties here, so there is no state or national number to compare Potter 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 Potter 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 Potter 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 (195 for 2020). The median is the middle result of those tests, not of buildings. CDC also reports the number of buildings tested (35), a different count, so the two totals are not interchangeable.

Potter 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. Potter 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. 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).

Potter County, State data

Pennsylvania's own radon test data

Measured

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

Pennsylvania DEP publishes its figures by ZIP code, not by county. These are the 14 ZIP codes that lie wholly or partly in Potter County, each with the state's own figures for it. Period: Period not stated by DEP.

ZIP codes in Potter County
ZIP codeWhat the state reports
16720Basement: average 14.3 pCi/L, 50 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16743Basement: average 7.9 pCi/L, 66 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16746Basement: average 58.1 pCi/L, 36 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16748Basement: average 13.1 pCi/L, 84 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16915Basement: average 16.3 pCi/L, 957 tests; First floor: average 4.9 pCi/L, 293 tests
16921Basement: average 7.5 pCi/L, 31 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16922Basement: average 30.6 pCi/L, 131 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16923Basement: average 11.9 pCi/L, 44 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16927Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
16937Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
16943Basement: figures not shown; First floor: figures not shown
16948Basement: average 26.2 pCi/L, 74 tests; First floor: figures not shown
16950Basement: average 6.1 pCi/L, 91 tests; First floor: average 3.1 pCi/L, 45 tests
17729Basement: 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.

Radon Action Brief

National Radon Action MonthPre-sale

Potter 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 Potter County BriefSee a free sample

Area data, not a test of the building.

Local help

Potter County, Local resources

Radon testing and mitigation in Potter County

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

What it means

Potter County, Questions

Questions about radon in Potter County

Common questions

8 questions, answered from the figures above

Are radon levels high in Potter County?

In 2020, 17.9% of the radon tests reported to CDC for Potter County, Pennsylvania were at or above 4 pCi/L, and the median reported pre-mitigation result was 1.1 pCi/L. That is a share of reported tests, not of homes. EPA places Potter County in Zone 2, moderate predicted potential, a predicted average indoor screening level 2 to 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 Potter 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 Potter 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

Who does radon mitigation in Potter County?

No listed mitigator names Potter 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

What EPA radon zone is Potter County in?

EPA places Potter County, Pennsylvania in Zone 2, which EPA describes as moderate 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 Potter 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 Potter County?

Potter 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

Potter County in figures

The figures above, said in words

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

    • Predicted

      Predicted

      EPA places Potter County in Zone 2, moderate predicted potential, as it does 16 other counties of Pennsylvania's 67.

      Of the 7 bordering counties, EPA places Allegany County, NY, Cameron County, Clinton County, Lycoming County, Steuben County, NY and Tioga County in Zone 1 and McKean County in Zone 2.

  • Reported tests

    Measured

    CDC has annual figures for Potter County for 7 years, 2014 to 2020. In 2020, 17.9% of 195 reported tests were at or above 4 pCi/L.

    Across those years the share ranged from 17.9% (2020) to 63.5% (2019). 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 Coudersport, Shinglehouse and Galeton; the figures here cover them as part of the county.

Products

Potter County, Products

Testing and mitigation products

Whatever the figures for Potter 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.

Best radon monitors for Potter County homes, compared

Explore

Potter County, Bordering counties

Counties bordering Potter County

Calculated by Radon411
Why bordering counties matter

7 counties share a boundary with Potter 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.

Potter County, Cities and towns

Cities and towns in Potter County

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

  • Coudersport
  • Shinglehouse
  • Galeton
  • Ulysses
  • Austin
  • Oswayo

6 incorporated places, as listed in the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 place reference files.

Potter County, Next steps

What to do next

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.