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Virginia Radon Map and Levels by County

Virginia's counties span all three EPA radon zones. 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

    30.4%

    5.3 pts below U.S.

    Virginia
    30.4%
    U.S.
    35.7%

    53,199 tests across 131 counties, 2008 to 2017

  • Rank among states

    22 of 47

    Middle of the states

    Virginia
    30.4%
    North Dakota
    59.3%

    By share, every state pooled the same way, 2008 to 2017

  • Counties in EPA Zone 1

    62 of 133

    Some at highest potential

    Zone 1
    62
    Zone 2
    28

    Most counties sit in Zone 1; Zone 1 is the highest potential

  • Highest county

    67.3%

    Russell County

    Russell
    67.3%
    Norfolk city
    2.7%

    Counties with 30+ tests, 2008 to 2017

Read a result for Virginia

Starts at EPA's action level

4.0pCi/L

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

EPA’s reading of 4.0 pCi/L

At or above 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 at or above 4 pCi/L. EPA recommends fixing a home when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. 30.4% of Virginia's reported tests reached 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017.

Interpret this readingWhat a fix costs

The data

Virginia, At a glance

Virginia at a glance

Predicted: EPA radon zone

133 of 133 counties classified

EPA classifies counties, not states. Of the 133 counties in Virginia with a zone, 62 are in Zone 1, 28 in Zone 2 and 43 in Zone 3.

  • Zone 1: Highest predicted potentialgreater than 4 pCi/L62 of 133 counties · 46.6%
  • Zone 2: Moderate predicted potential2 to 4 pCi/L28 of 133 counties · 21.1%
  • Zone 3: Lower predicted potentialless than 2 pCi/L43 of 133 counties · 32.3%

An EPA radon zone predicts a whole county. It is not intended to determine whether any individual home should be tested: homes with elevated levels occur in all three zones, and EPA recommends testing every home regardless of zone.

Predicted: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Measured: tests reported to CDC

CDC test figures, county by county

CDC publishes Virginia's radon test figures by county: 132 of its 133 counties have one. Each one's share is in the county list.

How to read these figures

Virginia, Compared

Virginia radon figures, compared

Calculated by Radon411
Virginia, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
30.4%
of 53,199 tests at or above 4 pCi/L, pooled
Against the U.S.
−5.3points
35.7% pooled
Rank among the states
22 of 47
1 is the highest share
Counties with 30 or more tests
84
Highest
67.3%
Russell County
Lowest
2.7%
Norfolk city

Virginia pools to 30.4%: that share of 53,199 reported tests from 131 counties over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached EPA's action level. Nationally the pooled share is 35.7%: 5.3 points higher than here.

Among 47 states pooled the same way it ranks 22nd, with Missouri (30.6%) above it and New Mexico (28.5%) below. Russell County reports the highest share (67.3% of 49 tests) and Norfolk city the lowest (2.7%); the most tests came from Fairfax County, 8,657 of them at 18.7%.

Across its 4 overlapping ten-year totals, the share went from 30.3% (2005 to 2014) to 30.4% (2008 to 2017), within 2 points, with 2006 to 2015 the highest at 30.7%. By band, 12 counties at 50% or more, 40 counties at 30% to 50%, 23 counties at 15% to 30%, 7 counties at 5% to 15%, 2 counties at under 5%.

EPA's 1993 map puts 62 of its 133 classified counties in Zone 1; against that, 30.4% of the tests reported since reached 4 pCi/L.

Virginia ranked among 47 states by pooled share of tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
StateRankCountiesTestsAt or above 4 pCi/L
Maine17 of 471611,82537.6%
West Virginia18 of 475510,06137.5%
New Hampshire19 of 471015,60835.0%
Tennessee20 of 479531,06633.3%
Missouri21 of 4711558,52530.6%
Virginia22 of 4713153,19930.4%
New Mexico23 of 47293,72128.5%
Michigan24 of 4783114,40726.9%
Connecticut25 of 47825,57226.5%
Washington26 of 47398,20125.5%
Oregon27 of 473423,95125.4%
Virginia's highest and lowest counties with 30 or more tests, by share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
CountyRankTestsAt or above 4 pCi/L
Russell County1 of 844967.3%
Wythe County2 of 8411965.5%
Carroll County3 of 848961.8%
Smyth County4 of 8412361.0%
Washington County5 of 8438458.1%
Giles County6 of 8417456.9%
Patrick County7 of 845354.7%
Staunton city8 of 8433852.7%
Bristol city9 of 8411050.9%
Rockbridge County10 of 8411450.9%
Norfolk city84 of 84732.7%
Virginia Beach city83 of 84464.3%
Newport News city82 of 84306.7%
Chesapeake city81 of 84437.0%
Alexandria city80 of 844107.3%
Virginia's counties with 30 or more tests, by their own share at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory
ShareCountiesTheir testsFor example
50% or more122,253Russell County, Wythe County, Carroll County
30% to 50%4024,401Pulaski County, Waynesboro city, Clarke County
15% to 30%2324,095Chesterfield County, Nelson County, Wise County
5% to 15%71,816Fairfax city, Arlington County, Westmoreland County
Under 5%2119Virginia Beach city, Norfolk city
Virginia ten-year laboratory totals, pooled, against the United States
PeriodCountiesTestsAt or above 4 pCi/LUnited StatesChange from the row before
2008 to 201713153,19930.4%35.7%−0.2 points
2007 to 201613149,87230.6%35.8%−0.1 points
2006 to 201513244,81730.7%36.3%+0.3 points
2005 to 201413239,39130.3%36.0%First on file

Pooled shares: Radon411's sum of CDC's county counts for one period. CDC publishes no state or national figure.

Virginia, Counties

Virginia counties by EPA zone

Predicted

The map of Virginia, then its 133 counties zone by zone, each with its reported share at or above 4 pCi/L and a report of its own.

Virginia radon map by county: EPA radon zones. Map of Virginia's 132 counties shaded by EPA radon zone: Zone 1 in red-orange, Zone 2 in amber, Zone 3 in pale sand. 62 in Zone 1, 28 in Zone 2, 43 in Zone 3.
Virginia radon map by countyEPA radon zones for Virginia's counties: 62 counties in Zone 1, 28 counties in Zone 2, 43 counties in Zone 3.A prediction for each county, not a reading of any home; elevated homes occur in all three zones.

The 12 highest in Virginia, 2008 to 2017

Zone 1: highest predicted potential62

Local help

Virginia, Local resources

Local resources in Virginia

Who to ask in Virginia: its radon program, test kits and professionals.

What Virginia's program says
Phone
(804) 864-8161
Email
Radon@vdh.virginia.gov
Licensing of radon professionals
The Code of Virginia requires that Radon testers and mitigators be currently certified by either the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB).

What it means

Virginia, Questions

Questions about radon in Virginia

Is radon a problem in Virginia?

Virginia has 133 counties on EPA's Map of Radon Zones: Zone 1, the highest predicted potential, for 62; Zone 2 for 28; Zone 3 for 43. Pooled from 131 counties, 30.4% of the 53,199 radon tests reported to CDC over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals were at or above 4 pCi/L, 22nd of 47 states.

Who does radon mitigation in Virginia?

Radon411's Virginia directory lists 2 radon businesses for testing, mitigation or both, each with the licensing list it was read from.

Which Virginia counties are in EPA radon Zone 1?

62 counties are in Zone 1: Alleghany County, Amelia County, Appomattox County, Augusta County, Bath County, Bland County, Botetourt County, Bristol city, and 54 more in the county table on this page.

Which Virginia counties have the highest radon?

By the share of reported tests at or above 4 pCi/L, 2008 to 2017, laboratory: Russell County 67.3% (49 tests), Wythe County 65.5% (119 tests), Carroll County 61.8% (89 tests), Smyth County 61.0% (123 tests), Washington County 58.1% (384 tests).

Which EPA region is Virginia in?

Virginia is in EPA Region 3: Mid-Atlantic.

Products

Virginia, Products

Testing a home in Virginia

30.4% of the 53,199 tests reported to CDC for Virginia over the 2008 to 2017 laboratory totals reached 4 pCi/L: a short-term kit (2 to 90 days) gives a first answer in days, a long-term test the year-round average. A short-term kit (2 to 90 days) is the quick first check for a home in Virginia; a long-term test tells the year-round average.

Test kits and monitors3

See every kit and monitor

Best radon monitors for Virginia homes, compared

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