Is radon high in Detroit, Michigan?

Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Detroit (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.0 pCi/L - about 43% below the US average of 1.8 and about 36% below the Michigan average of 1.6. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Detroit ranks 26 of 27 Michigan cities on this site.

Which Detroit ZIP codes have the highest radon?

Predictions for the 28 modeled ZIP codes in Detroit range from 0.9 to 1.3 pCi/L in the basement. 0% of them are predicted at or above 4 pCi/L and 0% at or above 2. The city is fairly uniform, so the city-wide number is a reasonable guide for any neighborhood.

Should I test for radon in Detroit?

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

What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for Detroit?

Detroit sits mainly in Wayne County, which the EPA classifies as Zone 3 - low potential (< 2 pCi/L). The zone map dates from 1993 and covers whole counties. The 2001-2021 model agrees with the zone for the city. Neither replaces a test of your own home.

Radon levels in Detroit, Michigan

LowEPA Zone 3

Predicted long-term basement average of 1.0 pCi/L (model estimate) across the 28 modeled ZIP codes in Detroit - about 43% below the US average of 1.8, about 36% below the Michigan average of 1.6. Ranked #26 of 27 Michigan cities on this site. Most of the city lies in Wayne County.

Test Detroit, MI once anyway - radon varies house to house

The predicted basement average here is 1.0 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.

1.0 ± 0.07

pCi/L predicted basement mean (model SD)

0.7 ± 0.09

pCi/L predicted upstairs (above-ground) mean

0.9-1.3

range of ZIP-level basement predictions in the city

of Detroit ZIPs predicted ≥ 4 pCi/L (0% ≥ 2)

What this means for Detroit

The typical Detroit home is predicted below 2 pCi/L, the lowest band. That describes the average house; the ZIP-level predictions inside the city still span 0.9 to 1.3 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). The 1993 EPA zone (3) for Wayne and the 2001-2021 model agree here.

Comparable Michigan cities: Royal Oak (1.0), Roseville (1.0), St. Clair Shores (1.1), Warren (1.1).

ZIP codes in Detroit

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
48228	6%	1.0 ± 0.09	0.6	Low
48219	6%	1.1 ± 0.05	0.6	Low
48234	6%	1.0 ± 0.07	0.6	Low
48227	5%	1.0 ± 0.09	0.7	Low
48209	5%	1.0 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
48213	5%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48205	5%	1.0 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48207	5%	1.3 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48235	5%	1.0 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
48223	4%	1.1 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48224	4%	0.9 ± 0.10	0.7	Low
48238	4%	0.9 ± 0.08	0.6	Low
48203	4%	1.0 ± 0.06	0.6	Low
48221	4%	0.9 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
48214	4%	1.1 ± 0.06	0.6	Low
48204	4%	0.9 ± 0.08	0.6	Low
48210	4%	1.0 ± 0.09	0.7	Low
48215	3%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48211	3%	1.1 ± 0.07	0.6	Low
48212	3%	0.9 ± 0.08	0.6	Low
48202	2%	1.0 ± 0.07	0.5	Low
48208	2%	1.1 ± 0.07	0.6	Low
48206	2%	0.9 ± 0.07	0.6	Low
48217	2%	1.1 ± 0.08	0.7	Low
48216	2%	1.1 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
48201	1%	1.0 ± 0.07	0.6	Low
48239	1%	1.2 ± 0.05	0.8	Low
48226	1%	1.1 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
48233	<1%	—	—	no model
48243	<1%	—	—	no model

Testing help in Michigan

Michigan's radon program page is at www.michigan.gov; it lists testing and certified-mitigator guidance. 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.

Detroit radon questions

Is radon high in Detroit, Michigan?: Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Detroit (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.0 pCi/L - about 43% below the US average of 1.8 and about 36% below the Michigan average of 1.6. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Detroit ranks 26 of 27 Michigan cities on this site.
Which Detroit ZIP codes have the highest radon?: Predictions for the 28 modeled ZIP codes in Detroit range from 0.9 to 1.3 pCi/L in the basement. 0% of them are predicted at or above 4 pCi/L and 0% at or above 2. The city is fairly uniform, so the city-wide number is a reasonable guide for any neighborhood.
Should I test for radon in Detroit?: Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house; Detroit's low predicted average describes the typical home, not yours.
What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for Detroit?: Detroit sits mainly in Wayne County, which the EPA classifies as Zone 3 - low potential (< 2 pCi/L). The zone map dates from 1993 and covers whole counties. The 2001-2021 model agrees with the zone for the city. Neither replaces a test of your own home.

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