Radon levels in Middlesex County, Massachusetts

LowEPA Zone 1

Predicted long-term basement average of 1.8 pCi/L (model estimate) across 80 ZIP codes - close to the US average of 1.8, close to the Massachusetts average of 1.8. Ranked #5 of 14 Massachusetts counties.

Test Middlesex County, MA once anyway - radon varies house to house

The predicted basement average here is 1.8 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.

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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.

1.8 ± 0.06

pCi/L predicted basement mean (model SD)

1.2 ± 0.07

pCi/L predicted upstairs (above-ground) mean

1.1-3.0

range of ZIP-level basement predictions in the county

What this means for Middlesex

The typical Middlesex County home is predicted below 2 pCi/L, the lowest band. That is the best case an area can show - but it describes the average house, and the ZIP-level predictions within the county still span 1.1 to 3.0 pCi/L.

Note that the EPA classifies Middlesex County as Zone 1 while the newer model predicts 1.8 pCi/L. The zone map predates two decades of test data; where they disagree, we grade on the model but show both. County figures weight each ZIP by its 2010 Census population, so they describe where people live rather than empty land.

Comparable Massachusetts counties: Plymouth County (1.8), Bristol County (1.8), Norfolk County (1.8), Berkshire County (1.7). The state's highest is Worcester County at 2.5 pCi/L.

ZIP codes in Middlesex County

Predicted basement and upstairs means by ZIP (model estimate). ZIPs whose land is mostly in this county.

ZIPBasementUpstairsGrade
021481.4 ± 0.071.8Low
021551.8 ± 0.050.7Low
021491.1 ± 0.060.5Low
018012.2 ± 0.061.0Moderate
017522.1 ± 0.061.5Moderate
017021.5 ± 0.051.1Low
021391.3 ± 0.070.6Low
021381.5 ± 0.050.7Low
018521.9 ± 0.051.3Low
017601.6 ± 0.051.1Low
024721.5 ± 0.050.7Low
017011.7 ± 0.041.3Low
018212.0 ± 0.061.7Low
018511.9 ± 0.051.2Low
018262.2 ± 0.061.6Moderate
024531.5 ± 0.070.9Low
018761.7 ± 0.071.6Low
018542.0 ± 0.061.2Low
021761.5 ± 0.051.2Low
024741.4 ± 0.050.9Low
021451.3 ± 0.080.6Low
018242.1 ± 0.051.8Moderate
018801.9 ± 0.071.3Low
024781.8 ± 0.060.7Low
021431.2 ± 0.060.5Low
018032.1 ± 0.061.3Moderate
018671.9 ± 0.061.1Low
021441.1 ± 0.090.6Low
018872.3 ± 0.061.7Moderate
018862.6 ± 0.051.8Moderate
021801.8 ± 0.061.3Low
018902.0 ± 0.051.1Low
017201.9 ± 0.051.3Low
024591.5 ± 0.060.9Low
017492.0 ± 0.061.5Low
017422.1 ± 0.051.5Moderate
017761.8 ± 0.051.5Low
021401.2 ± 0.070.6Low
024511.6 ± 0.041.1Low
024211.8 ± 0.061.1Low
017211.7 ± 0.061.3Low
024761.3 ± 0.051.0Low
018501.7 ± 0.051.0Low
017481.9 ± 0.061.3Low
018642.7 ± 0.071.8Moderate
024521.6 ± 0.071.1Low
024201.8 ± 0.051.1Low
017462.0 ± 0.061.4Low
017302.2 ± 0.051.5Moderate
017782.3 ± 0.051.4Moderate
024581.5 ± 0.060.7Low
021411.0 ± 0.060.6Low
024651.6 ± 0.050.8Low
014632.9 ± 0.061.7Moderate
018792.6 ± 0.071.7Moderate
024932.1 ± 0.061.5Moderate
014503.0 ± 0.061.7Moderate
018622.0 ± 0.051.6Low
017541.7 ± 0.081.4Low
014602.6 ± 0.071.7Moderate
018632.1 ± 0.081.5Moderate
024601.6 ± 0.060.8Low
024661.7 ± 0.080.8Low
014642.6 ± 0.071.6Moderate
014322.5 ± 0.061.5Moderate
024611.6 ± 0.070.8Low
014692.8 ± 0.071.6Moderate
017752.3 ± 0.051.7Moderate
024681.5 ± 0.060.8Low
017732.5 ± 0.061.7Moderate
017192.3 ± 0.071.4Moderate
017412.3 ± 0.071.7Moderate
017701.9 ± 0.061.4Low
018272.6 ± 0.051.5Moderate
021421.1 ± 0.060.6Low
014312.7 ± 0.061.7Moderate
024641.5 ± 0.050.7Low
014742.6 ± 0.051.7Moderate
024621.6 ± 0.040.8Low
017312.0 ± 0.061.4Low

If your test comes back at 4 pCi/L or higher

Mitigation is a routine job: a fan-driven pipe that vents soil gas from under the slab to above the roofline, typically $800-$2,500 installed (typical range; local quotes vary). Use certified professionals: EPA find-a-professional. Read the full mitigation guide.

Middlesex County radon questions

Is radon high in Middlesex County, Massachusetts?
Low. The model predicts a long-term basement average of 1.8 pCi/L in Middlesex County (close to the US average of 1.8 and close to the Massachusetts average of 1.8). That is below the EPA's 2 pCi/L "consider fixing" threshold, though individual homes still vary. Ranked 5 of 14 Massachusetts counties.
Should I test for radon in Middlesex County?
Yes, once. The EPA recommends testing every home regardless of area, and the model's ZIP-level predictions in Middlesex County already range from 1.1 to 3.0 pCi/L. A short-term kit costs little and settles the question for your house.
What does EPA Radon Zone 1 mean for Middlesex County?
Zone 1 - highest potential (predicted average > 4 pCi/L). The zone map dates from 1993 and classifies whole counties. The newer model's predicted average of 1.8 pCi/L does not line up with Zone 1, which is common - the EPA itself says high-radon homes exist in every zone. Neither replaces a test of your own home.
How much does radon mitigation cost in Middlesex County?
A standard active sub-slab depressurization system typically runs $800-$2,500 installed nationally; Massachusetts quotes vary with foundation type (slab, crawlspace, basement), home size and local labor. Get two or three bids from certified mitigators listed by your state radon program or the EPA's find-a-professional page.

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