Pennsylvania · county radon data
Radon in Erie County, Pennsylvania
31.8% of the 6,605 home radon tests on record here reached the EPA action level — toward the lower end of the state's tested counties, ranked #61 of 67 tested Pennsylvania counties.
What the numbers say
Erie County sits 17.2 points below the Pennsylvania median (49% of tests over the limit across the state's counties). The median reading among its 6,605 reported tests was 2.6 pCi/L — and the single highest test on record reached 277 pCi/L, more than 69× the action level. EPA maps place the county in Radon Zone 2 — moderate predicted potential (2–4 pCi/L average screening levels), which still produces plenty of homes over the limit.
Why: the ground under Erie County
Underlain by uranium-bearing Devonian black shales (the Marcellus and relatives). Shale ranks among the highest-radon rock types measured in Pennsylvania basements, and roughly 3 in 10 tested homes in these counties exceed the action level.
Geology sources: USGS OFR 93-292-C · AARST 2024 rock-type correlation study.
The housing stock factor
The median Erie County home dates to 1964 — decades before radon-resistant new construction entered building codes. With 269,052 residents largely housed in that older stock, testing is the only way any individual household knows where it stands.
Radon by ZIP in Erie County
Pennsylvania is one of the few states publishing actual test results at ZIP level (PA DEP residential data, 1986–2026) — county averages hide a lot; this doesn't.
| ZIP | Place | Tests | % ≥ 4 pCi/L | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16407 | Corry | 71 | 60.6% | 208.5 |
| 16417 | Girard | 1,192 | 50.6% | 122 |
| 16423 | Lake City | 560 | 47.9% | 71.5 |
| 16444 | Edinboro | 67 | 43.3% | 55.4 |
| 16411 | East Springfield | 91 | 42.9% | 59.5 |
| 16428 | North East | 1,909 | 37.2% | 150.3 |
| 16441 | Waterford | 941 | 35.4% | 79.3 |
| 16412 | Edinboro | 2,016 | 34.6% | 106.4 |
| 16415 | Fairview | 2,982 | 33.6% | 153.2 |
| 16421 | Harborcreek | 412 | 31.1% | 52 |
| 16505 | Erie | 4,966 | 30.1% | 163.2 |
| 16442 | Wattsburg | 245 | 29.8% | 58.7 |
| 16438 | Union City | 355 | 29.3% | 43.9 |
| 16426 | Mc Kean | 450 | 28.2% | 56.1 |
| 16502 | Erie | 1,080 | 23.1% | 110.1 |
| 16506 | Erie | 6,192 | 23.1% | 123.9 |
| 16443 | West Springfield | 79 | 22.8% | 38.4 |
| 16510 | Erie | 3,026 | 22.3% | 326.8 |
| 16509 | Erie | 5,210 | 21.5% | 176.4 |
| 16508 | Erie | 2,575 | 21.2% | 104 |
| 16503 | Erie | 247 | 21.1% | 73.6 |
| 16410 | Cranesville | 121 | 19% | 30.8 |
| 16401 | Albion | 218 | 18.8% | 83.6 |
| 16504 | Erie | 1,847 | 13.9% | 31.1 |
| 16511 | Erie | 1,394 | 13.8% | 54.1 |
| 16507 | Erie | 411 | 8.8% | 49.6 |
| 16501 | Erie | 103 | 6.8% | 20.5 |
Erie County in the Pennsylvania picture
| Erie County | 31.8% over the limit | 6,605 tests |
| Pennsylvania's highest: Fulton County | 69.7% | 90 tests |
| Pennsylvania county median | 49% | 67 counties ranked |
| Share of all Pennsylvania tests from this county | 3.8% | |
Ranked nearby in Pennsylvania
- Luzerne County — #58, 34.4% of 2,323 tests over the limit
- Crawford County — #59, 33.4% of 878 tests over the limit
- Wayne County — #60, 32.5% of 209 tests over the limit
- Chester County — #62, 29.3% of 11,038 tests over the limit
- Bucks County — #63, 27.5% of 9,078 tests over the limit
- Montgomery County — #64, 27.2% of 14,749 tests over the limit
(Ranking neighbors — counties adjacent in the Pennsylvania test ranking, not necessarily on the map.)
High test? Fixes and real pricing: the Pennsylvania mitigation cost guide. Every statistic here traces to the methodology (CDC EPHT (labs), 2008–2017; zones: EPA; year built & population: ACS 5-year; ZIP results: PA DEP).
Erie County radon FAQ
- Is radon high in Erie County?
- 31.8% of 6,605 home tests reported to the CDC came back at or above the EPA action level of 4 pCi/L — 17.2 points below the Pennsylvania county median of 49%, ranking #61 of 67 tested counties. EPA classifies the county as Zone 2.
- Does an older home in Erie County mean more radon risk?
- The county's median home was built in 1964 — before radon-resistant construction practices entered building codes in the 1990s, so most of the housing stock has no built-in radon protection. Construction age changes the odds, not the answer: only a test tells you about your house.
- Where do these Erie County numbers come from?
- 6,605 aggregated home tests in the CDC's Environmental Public Health Tracking dataset (CDC EPHT 2008-2017). Median reading: 2.6 pCi/L; the highest recorded test hit 277 pCi/L. How we handle the data, including its limits, is documented on our methodology page.
- Which ZIP codes in Erie County test highest?
- In PA DEP's residential results (1986–2026): 16407 (Corry) — 60.6% of 71 tests over the limit; 16417 (Girard) — 50.6% of 1,192 tests over the limit; 16423 (Lake City) — 47.9% of 560 tests over the limit. Full ZIP table below.