Is radon high in Durham, North Carolina?

Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Durham (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.3 pCi/L - about 29% below the US average of 1.8 and about 23% below the North Carolina average of 1.7. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Durham ranks 19 of 26 North Carolina cities on this site.

Which Durham ZIP codes have the highest radon?

Predictions for the 9 modeled ZIP codes in Durham range from 1.2 to 1.4 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 Durham?

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

What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for Durham?

Durham sits mainly in Durham 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 Durham, North Carolina

LowEPA Zone 3

Predicted long-term basement average of 1.3 pCi/L (model estimate) across the 9 modeled ZIP codes in Durham - about 29% below the US average of 1.8, about 23% below the North Carolina average of 1.7. Ranked #19 of 26 North Carolina cities on this site. Most of the city lies in Durham County (its ZIPs also reach into 2 other counties).

Test Durham, NC once anyway - radon varies house to house

The predicted basement average here is 1.3 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.

1.3 ± 0.06

pCi/L predicted basement mean (model SD)

0.7 ± 0.10

pCi/L predicted upstairs (above-ground) mean

1.2-1.4

range of ZIP-level basement predictions in the city

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

What this means for Durham

The typical Durham home is predicted below 2 pCi/L, the lowest band. That describes the average house; the ZIP-level predictions inside the city still span 1.2 to 1.4 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 Durham and the 2001-2021 model agree here.

Comparable North Carolina cities: High Point (1.3), Greenville (1.3), Jacksonville (1.3), Holly Springs (1.3).

ZIP codes in Durham

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
27703	22%	1.4 ± 0.06	0.9	Low
27713	16%	1.2 ± 0.07	0.4	Low
27705	16%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.5	Low
27707	16%	1.3 ± 0.05	0.6	Low
27704	13%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.6	Low
27712	8%	1.4 ± 0.06	1.0	Low
27701	5%	1.2 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
27517	2%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
27560	2%	1.2 ± 0.06	0.5	Low
27708	<1%	—	—	no model

Testing help in North Carolina

We link only state program pages we could verify, and North Carolina's did not respond when we checked, so start from the 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.

Durham radon questions

Is radon high in Durham, North Carolina?: Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across Durham (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.3 pCi/L - about 29% below the US average of 1.8 and about 23% below the North Carolina average of 1.7. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Durham ranks 19 of 26 North Carolina cities on this site.
Which Durham ZIP codes have the highest radon?: Predictions for the 9 modeled ZIP codes in Durham range from 1.2 to 1.4 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 Durham?: Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house; Durham's low predicted average describes the typical home, not yours.
What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for Durham?: Durham sits mainly in Durham 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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