Is radon high in Waukegan, Illinois?

Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Waukegan (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.4 pCi/L - about 22% below the US average of 1.8 and about 25% below the Illinois average of 1.9. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Waukegan ranks 26 of 34 Illinois cities on this site.

Which Waukegan ZIP codes have the highest radon?

Predictions for the 5 modeled ZIP codes in Waukegan range from 1.1 to 2.1 pCi/L in the basement. 0% of them are predicted at or above 4 pCi/L and 40% at or above 2. That spread is why the ZIP table below matters more than the city-wide number.

Should I test for radon in Waukegan?

Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house; Waukegan's low predicted average describes the typical home, not yours.

What does EPA Radon Zone 2 mean for Waukegan?

Waukegan sits mainly in Lake County, which the EPA classifies as Zone 2 - moderate potential (2-4 pCi/L). The zone map dates from 1993 and covers whole counties. The newer model's city average of 1.4 pCi/L does not line up with Zone 2, which is common - the EPA itself says high-radon homes exist in every zone. Neither replaces a test of your own home.

Radon levels in Waukegan, Illinois

LowEPA Zone 2

Predicted long-term basement average of 1.4 pCi/L (model estimate) across the 5 modeled ZIP codes in Waukegan - about 22% below the US average of 1.8, about 25% below the Illinois average of 1.9. Ranked #26 of 34 Illinois cities on this site. Most of the city lies in Lake County.

Test Waukegan, IL once anyway - radon varies house to house

The predicted basement average here is 1.4 pCi/L, below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold. That's good news for the area - but the EPA still recommends every home be tested, because foundation cracks, soil pockets and ventilation make one house very different from its neighbor. One inexpensive kit settles it.

Get a short-term test kit →Or track it with a continuous monitor

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Predicted (model estimate). The pCi/L figures on this page are long-term area averages from a peer-reviewed national model built on millions of real radon tests (2001-2021). They describe the typical home in this area - not your home, which can be several times higher or lower. The EPA radon zone is a separate, 1993 county-level classification. How the numbers work.

1.4 ± 0.11

pCi/L predicted basement mean (model SD)

1.0 ± 0.09

pCi/L predicted upstairs (above-ground) mean

1.1-2.1

range of ZIP-level basement predictions in the city

of Waukegan ZIPs predicted ≥ 4 pCi/L (40% ≥ 2)

What this means for Waukegan

The typical Waukegan home is predicted below 2 pCi/L, the lowest band. That describes the average house; the ZIP-level predictions inside the city still span 1.1 to 2.1 pCi/L.

The city figure is not a separate estimate: it is the mean of the model's ZIP-code predictions, weighted by the share of the city's land in each ZIP (Census 2020 ZCTA-to-place relationship file). Note that the EPA classifies Lake County as Zone 2 while the newer model predicts 1.4 pCi/L for Waukegan; where they disagree, we grade on the model but show both.

Comparable Illinois cities: Schaumburg (1.5), Des Plaines (1.3), Oak Lawn (1.3), Tinley Park (1.5).

ZIP codes in Waukegan

ZIPs that overlap the city, largest share of its land first. Predicted basement and upstairs means are model estimates; ZIPs the model does not cover show a dash.

ZIP	Share of city	Basement	Upstairs	Grade
60085	52%	1.1 ± 0.13	0.8	Low
60087	30%	1.6 ± 0.08	1.1	Low
60048	12%	2.1 ± 0.07	1.3	Moderate
60083	4%	2.0 ± 0.07	1.3	Moderate
60031	1%	1.7 ± 0.10	1.1	Low

Testing help in Illinois

Illinois's radon program page is at iemaohs.illinois.gov and, when we checked it, offered low-cost test kits. EPA state radon contacts page. If a test comes back at 4 pCi/L or higher, mitigation typically costs $800-$2,500 installed; use EPA find-a-professional and read the mitigation guide.

Waukegan radon questions

Is radon high in Waukegan, Illinois?: Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Waukegan (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.4 pCi/L - about 22% below the US average of 1.8 and about 25% below the Illinois average of 1.9. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Waukegan ranks 26 of 34 Illinois cities on this site.
Which Waukegan ZIP codes have the highest radon?: Predictions for the 5 modeled ZIP codes in Waukegan range from 1.1 to 2.1 pCi/L in the basement. 0% of them are predicted at or above 4 pCi/L and 40% at or above 2. That spread is why the ZIP table below matters more than the city-wide number.
Should I test for radon in Waukegan?: Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house; Waukegan's low predicted average describes the typical home, not yours.
What does EPA Radon Zone 2 mean for Waukegan?: Waukegan sits mainly in Lake County, which the EPA classifies as Zone 2 - moderate potential (2-4 pCi/L). The zone map dates from 1993 and covers whole counties. The newer model's city average of 1.4 pCi/L does not line up with Zone 2, which is common - the EPA itself says high-radon homes exist in every zone. Neither replaces a test of your own home.

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