Radon Testing & Mitigation in Luzerne County, PA
31% of 54,988 basement radon tests reported to PA DEP in Luzerne County measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher, EPA's action level (median 2.4 pCi/L).
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Radon in Luzerne County: 31% of the 54,988 basement tests reported to PA DEP measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher, EPA's action level, 6 points below the 37% statewide share. The county ranks 60th highest of 67, and the median result is 2.4 pCi/L. Only a test shows one home's level.
Radon Test Results by ZIP Code in Luzerne County
41 ZIP codes in Luzerne County have at least 20 basement tests on record. Among those with 100 or more, the highest share at or above 4.0 pCi/L is in 18635 (Nescopeck): 59% of 430 tests. The lowest is in 18617 (Glen Lyon): 17% of 131 tests.
| ZIP code | Post office | Basement tests | Median pCi/L | At or above 4.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18704 | Kingston | 6,371 | 2.0 | 21% |
| 18707 | Mountain Top | 6,053 | 2.5 | 32% |
| 18702 | Wilkes Barre | 5,062 | 1.7 | 17% |
| 18612 | Dallas | 4,792 | 2.9 | 36% |
| 18708 | Shavertown | 3,352 | 2.9 | 36% |
| 18222 | Drums | 2,843 | 2.9 | 39% |
| 18640 | Pittston | 2,480 | 2.0 | 24% |
| 18643 | Pittston | 2,441 | 2.6 | 32% |
| 18201 | Hazleton | 2,218 | 1.8 | 22% |
| 18705 | Wilkes Barre | 2,138 | 1.8 | 18% |
| 18644 | Wyoming | 1,857 | 2.8 | 36% |
| 18706 | Wilkes Barre | 1,639 | 1.9 | 19% |
| 18634 | Nanticoke | 1,596 | 1.9 | 22% |
| 18202 | Hazleton | 1,557 | 3.1 | 43% |
| 18249 | Sugarloaf | 1,071 | 4.6 | 54% |
Show all 41 ZIP codes
| 18661 | White Haven | 1,005 | 3.0 | 39% |
| 18641 | Pittston | 967 | 2.6 | 33% |
| 18655 | Shickshinny | 798 | 3.8 | 49% |
| 18642 | Duryea | 796 | 2.3 | 31% |
| 18651 | Plymouth | 747 | 2.0 | 21% |
| 18618 | Harveys Lake | 583 | 2.4 | 31% |
| 18621 | Hunlock Creek | 533 | 4.6 | 56% |
| 18224 | Freeland | 527 | 3.5 | 46% |
| 18219 | Conyngham | 521 | 4.0 | 51% |
| 18660 | Wapwallopen | 447 | 3.4 | 44% |
| 18635 | Nescopeck | 430 | 5.5 | 59% |
| 18709 | Luzerne | 406 | 2.8 | 34% |
| 18656 | Sweet Valley | 333 | 3.5 | 44% |
| 18603 | Berwick (part) | 268 | 4.0 | 50% |
| 18602 | Bear Creek Village | 206 | 3.3 | 42% |
| 18701 | Wilkes-Barre | 193 | 2.1 | 33% |
| 18617 | Glen Lyon | 131 | 1.7 | 17% |
| 17814 | Benton (part) | 96 | 5.4 | 57% |
| 18627 | Lehman | 72 | 4.1 | 50% |
| 18703 | Wilkes Barre | 72 | 1.6 | 22% |
| 18234 | Lattimer | 41 | 3.1 | 44% |
| 18622 | Huntington Mills | 28 | 5.3 | 54% |
| 17878 | Stillwater (part) | 26 | 4.4 | 58% |
| 18216 | Beaver Meadows (part) | 20 | 3.8 | 45% |
| 18255 | Weatherly (part) | 20 | 3.7 | 50% |
| 18711 | Wilkes Barre | 20 | 0.7 | 10% |
| Luzerne County | 54,988 | 2.4 | 31% | |
| Pennsylvania | 2,629,492 | 2.8 | 37% | |
See your ZIP in the table?
Get matched with a DEP-certified radon professionalFirst-floor tests in Luzerne County: 7,189 on record, median 1.0 pCi/L, 12% at or above 4.0 pCi/L.
EPA's Map of Radon Zones (1993) places Luzerne County in Zone 1, its highest category (predicted average indoor screening level above 4 pCi/L). The map is a county-wide prediction; the figures in this table are measurements.
Figures count tests, not homes. A home tested more than once is counted each time, and tests run after a mitigation system was installed are included because the dataset does not separate them. ZIP codes with fewer than 20 basement tests are not shown.
Housing Age in Luzerne County
74% of Luzerne County's 151,287 housing units were built before 1980, 7 points above the 67% statewide figure; 30% date from before 1940. Those homes predate EPA's 1994 model standards for radon-resistant construction. Age does not predict a test result: EPA's guidance is that any home, new or old, may have a radon problem.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates, table B25034. Counts all housing units, including vacant and seasonal ones. Retrieved September 29, 2026.
Bedrock Under Luzerne County
Catskill Formation, including its mapped members (Devonian; sandstone, shale and siltstone) underlies 38% of the county. Mauch Chunk Formation (Mississippian; siltstone, shale and sandstone) underlies 17% of the county.
Mapped bedrock describes an area. The USGS states that its radon assessment cannot be applied to individual homes. More on Pennsylvania radon and geology.
Sources: U.S. Geological Survey State Geologic Map Compilation, from Pennsylvania Geological Survey Map 1 (1980; digital edition 2001). Retrieved September 29, 2026. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 93-292-C, Geologic Radon Potential of EPA Region 3 (1993).
Home Purchases in Luzerne County
Lenders reported 3,134 home-purchase mortgages originated in Luzerne County in 2024. The count covers financed purchases only; cash purchases are not in the data. See radon in a Pennsylvania home sale.
Source: FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2026.
Municipalities in Luzerne County
Luzerne County has 76 municipalities: 4 cities, 36 boroughs and 36 townships.
Show all 76 municipalities
Ashley borough, Avoca borough, Bear Creek township, Bear Creek Village borough, Black Creek township, Buck township, Butler township, Conyngham borough, Conyngham township, Courtdale borough, Dallas borough, Dallas township, Dennison township, Dorrance township, Dupont borough, Duryea borough, Edwardsville borough, Exeter borough, Exeter township, Fairmount township, Fairview township, Forty Fort borough, Foster township, Franklin township, Freeland borough, Hanover township, Harveys Lake borough, Hazle township, Hazleton city, Hollenback township, Hughestown borough, Hunlock township, Huntington township, Jackson township, Jeddo borough, Jenkins township, Kingston borough, Kingston township, Laflin borough, Lake township, Larksville borough, Laurel Run borough, Lehman township, Luzerne borough, Nanticoke city, Nescopeck borough, Nescopeck township, New Columbus borough, Newport township, Nuangola borough, Penn Lake Park borough, Pittston city, Pittston township, Plains township, Plymouth borough, Plymouth township, Pringle borough, Rice township, Ross township, Salem township, Shickshinny borough, Slocum township, Sugar Notch borough, Sugarloaf township, Swoyersville borough, Union township, Warrior Run borough, West Hazleton borough, West Pittston borough, West Wyoming borough, White Haven borough, Wilkes-Barre city, Wilkes-Barre township, Wright township, Wyoming borough, Yatesville borough.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Gazetteer Files, county subdivisions. Retrieved September 29, 2026.
City Pages in Luzerne County
Neighboring Counties
- Radon in Carbon County → 53% of 9,393 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Columbia County → 51% of 10,235 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Lackawanna County → 28% of 36,624 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Monroe County → 47% of 39,716 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Schuylkill County → 56% of 18,595 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Sullivan County → 40% of 614 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- Radon in Wyoming County → 43% of 4,060 basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L
- All 67 Pennsylvania county radon pages
DEP-Certified Mitigation Firms Based in County
1 DEP-certified mitigation firm is physically based in Luzerne County. Firms from adjacent counties routinely serve here as well.
Source: PA DEP Certified Mitigation Firms Directory, July 2026. This reflects business address only — firms based elsewhere may also serve Luzerne County.
Testing, Cost and Certification
Short-term tests run 48–96 hours; long-term tests run 90 days or more. At 4.0 pCi/L or higher, retest or mitigate. How radon testing works in a Pennsylvania real estate transaction.
Mitigation in Luzerne County typically costs $875–$2,400. Pennsylvania radon mitigation cost guide.
Anyone testing or mitigating for pay must hold DEP certification under 25 Pa. Code § 240. How to verify a contractor in the PA DEP Radon Services Directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of radon tests in Luzerne County are at or above the EPA action level?
31% of the 54,988 basement tests reported to PA DEP from Luzerne County measured 4.0 pCi/L or higher, against 37% statewide. The median result is 2.4 pCi/L, and 3% of tests measured 20 pCi/L or higher.
Which Luzerne County ZIP code has the highest radon test results?
Among ZIP codes with at least 100 basement tests, 18635 (Nescopeck) has the highest share at or above 4.0 pCi/L: 59% of 430 tests, with a median of 5.5 pCi/L. 18617 (Glen Lyon) has the lowest, at 17%.
How does Luzerne County compare with other Pennsylvania counties?
Luzerne County ranks 60th highest of 67 counties by share of basement tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L, at 31%. Among its neighbors, Schuylkill County has the highest share at 56% and Lackawanna County the lowest at 28%.
What bedrock is under Luzerne County?
The largest mapped units are Catskill Formation (38% of the county) and Mauch Chunk Formation (17% of the county), according to the USGS compilation of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey state map.