Is radon high in McAllen, Texas?

Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across McAllen (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.2 pCi/L - about 32% below the US average of 1.8 and about 20% below the Texas average of 1.5. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. McAllen ranks 81 of 83 Texas cities on this site.

Which McAllen ZIP codes have the highest radon?

Predictions for the 7 modeled ZIP codes in McAllen range from 1.2 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 McAllen?

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

What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for McAllen?

McAllen sits mainly in Hidalgo 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 McAllen, Texas

LowEPA Zone 3

Predicted long-term basement average of 1.2 pCi/L (model estimate) across the 7 modeled ZIP codes in McAllen - about 32% below the US average of 1.8, about 20% below the Texas average of 1.5. Ranked #81 of 83 Texas cities on this site. Most of the city lies in Hidalgo County.

Test McAllen, TX once anyway - radon varies house to house

The predicted basement average here is 1.2 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.

1.2 ± 0.07

pCi/L predicted basement mean (model SD)

0.7 ± 0.09

pCi/L predicted upstairs (above-ground) mean

1.2-1.3

range of ZIP-level basement predictions in the city

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

What this means for McAllen

The typical McAllen 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 1.3 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 Hidalgo and the 2001-2021 model agree here.

Comparable Texas cities: Houston (1.2), Corpus Christi (1.2), Harlingen (1.3), Brownsville (1.3).

ZIP codes in McAllen

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
78503	28%	1.2 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
78504	28%	1.3 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
78501	25%	1.2 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
78573	7%	1.3 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
78557	6%	1.2 ± 0.07	0.7	Low
78541	5%	1.3 ± 0.06	0.7	Low
78572	1%	1.3 ± 0.06	0.8	Low

Testing help in Texas

We link only state program pages we could verify, and Texas'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.

McAllen radon questions

Is radon high in McAllen, Texas?: Low. Averaging the model's ZIP-code predictions across McAllen (weighted by how much of the city each ZIP covers) gives a long-term basement mean of 1.2 pCi/L - about 32% below the US average of 1.8 and about 20% below the Texas average of 1.5. That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. McAllen ranks 81 of 83 Texas cities on this site.
Which McAllen ZIP codes have the highest radon?: Predictions for the 7 modeled ZIP codes in McAllen range from 1.2 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 McAllen?: Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house; McAllen's low predicted average describes the typical home, not yours.
What does EPA Radon Zone 3 mean for McAllen?: McAllen sits mainly in Hidalgo 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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