Updated November 2026 · Data: EPA Map of Radon Zones · Sources
Radon is a statewide concern in Iowa: all 99 counties are in EPA Zone 1, the group with the highest predicted indoor radon levels. According to the American Lung Association and Iowa HHS, about 58% of Iowa homes tested were at or above the EPA action level. Find your county below, then learn how to test your home and what to do if the result is high.
Your county’s zone is not your home’s radon level. Homes with high radon are found in every zone. The EPA recommends testing every home, whatever its zone.
Radon zones by county in Iowa
The table lists the EPA radon zone for each of the 99 counties in Iowa. The zone shows the predicted average indoor radon screening level for homes in that county.
| County | EPA zone | Predicted average indoor level |
|---|---|---|
| Adair | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Adams | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Allamakee | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Appanoose | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Audubon | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Benton | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Black Hawk | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Boone | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Bremer | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Buchanan | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Buena Vista | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Butler | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Calhoun | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Carroll | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Cass | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Cedar | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Cerro Gordo | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Cherokee | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Chickasaw | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Clarke | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Clay | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Clayton | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Clinton | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Crawford | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Dallas | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Davis | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Decatur | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Delaware | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Des Moines | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Dickinson | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Dubuque | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Emmet | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Fayette | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Floyd | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Franklin | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Fremont | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Greene | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Grundy | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Guthrie | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Hamilton | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Hancock | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Hardin | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Harrison | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Henry | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Howard | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Humboldt | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Ida | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Iowa | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Jackson | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Jasper | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Jefferson | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Johnson | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Jones | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Keokuk | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Kossuth | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Lee | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Linn | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Louisa | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Lucas | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Lyon | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Madison | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Mahaska | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Marion | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Marshall | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Mills | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Mitchell | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Monona | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Monroe | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Montgomery | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Muscatine | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| O’Brien | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Osceola | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Page | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Palo Alto | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Plymouth | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Pocahontas | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Polk | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Pottawattamie | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Poweshiek | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Ringgold | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Sac | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Scott | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Shelby | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Sioux | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Story | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Tama | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Taylor | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Union | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Van Buren | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Wapello | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Warren | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Washington | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Wayne | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Webster | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Winnebago | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Winneshiek | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Woodbury | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Worth | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
| Wright | Zone 1 | Above 4 pCi/L |
What the EPA radon zones mean
- Zone 1 (highest potential): predicted average indoor screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. In Iowa: 99 counties (100%).
- Zone 2 (moderate potential): predicted average between 2 and 4 pCi/L. In Iowa: 0 counties (0%).
- Zone 3 (low potential): predicted average below 2 pCi/L. In Iowa: 0 counties (0%).
The EPA built the map from indoor radon measurements, geology, soil permeability and type of house foundation. It was made to help governments and builders target resources, not to decide whether a single home needs testing.
Iowa counties with the highest radon potential
Every county in Iowa is in Zone 1: Adair, Adams, Allamakee, Appanoose, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Buchanan, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Clayton, Clinton, Crawford, Dallas, Davis, Decatur, Delaware, Des Moines, Dickinson, Dubuque, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fremont, Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Humboldt, Ida, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Kossuth, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Lyon, Madison, Mahaska, Marion, Marshall, Mills, Mitchell, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Muscatine, O’Brien, Osceola, Page, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Ringgold, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Story, Tama, Taylor, Union, Van Buren, Wapello, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Winnebago, Winneshiek, Woodbury, Worth, Wright.
How to test for radon in Iowa
Testing is the only way to know your home’s radon level. Short-term test kits (2 to 90 days) are sold at hardware stores and online, and some state programs offer kits at low cost; check with the Iowa HHS Radon Program. Test in the lowest lived-in level of the home, with windows and doors closed, and follow the kit instructions.
- Do-it-yourself kits: a simple, low-cost first step for your own home.
- Long-term tests (more than 90 days): give a better picture of your home’s year-round average.
- Certified professionals: look for certification from the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB), and ask the state program whether Iowa requires a state license.
- Buying or selling a home: ask for a radon test as part of the home inspection.
In January 2026, the American Lung Association and Iowa HHS offered free radon test kits to Iowans while supplies lasted. The Lung Association advises retesting every five years, or every two years if you have a mitigation system.
If your radon level is high
The EPA recommends fixing your home if the radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher, and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L. The most common fix is a radon mitigation system (sub-slab depressurization), which pulls radon from under the foundation and vents it outside, above the roof line.
- The EPA says most homes can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs; the price depends on the size and design of the home.
- Get estimates from more than one qualified, certified mitigation contractor. See our radon mitigation cost guide for typical prices.
- Test again after the system is installed, and retest every few years.
Iowa radon program
Radon rules and programs in Iowa
- Schools: under the Gail Orcutt Radon Safety Act, Iowa schools must test their buildings for radon by July 1, 2027.
- Child care: licensed child care centers and preschools must test within one year of opening and retest every two years (Iowa Administrative Code 441-109).
Contact
The Iowa HHS Radon Program answers questions from residents about radon testing, results and certified professionals.
- Phone: 515-281-4928 · 1-800-383-5992
- Website: hhs.iowa.gov/radiological-health/radon
Contact details as listed by the state radon program directory. Please confirm on the program’s website before calling.
Frequently asked questions
Is radon a problem in Iowa?
99 of Iowa’s 99 counties are in EPA Zone 1, where the predicted average indoor radon level is above 4 pCi/L, and 0 are in Zone 2 (2 to 4 pCi/L). High levels can be found in any home, so testing is the only way to know.
Which Iowa counties have the highest radon potential?
The 99 counties in EPA Zone 1 have the highest predicted average levels. You can find them in the table above and in the Zone 1 list.
What radon level is safe?
There is no known safe level of radon. The EPA recommends fixing your home at 4 pCi/L or higher and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L.
Who can I contact about radon in Iowa?
The Iowa HHS Radon Program answers questions about testing, results and certified professionals. Phone: 515-281-4928; 1-800-383-5992.
Sources
- American Lung Association: Radon Action Month in Iowa (January 23, 2026)
- SOSRadon.org (CRCPD/EPA): Iowa state radon program fact sheet (2022)
- U.S. EPA: EPA Map of Radon Zones (county data file, June 2024)
- U.S. EPA: A Citizen’s Guide to Radon (checked November 2026)
- U.S. EPA: How much can a radon mitigation system cost? (updated September 16, 2026)
- Iowa HHS Radon Program (checked November 2026)
- SOSRadon.org (CRCPD): State radon contacts (checked November 2026)