Radon Mitigation in Jackson Township, PA
Updated
PA DEP has 7,319 home radon tests on record from the ZIP codes that cover Jackson Township (17362, 17364, 17408). 53.7% came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level, against 52.5% for York County as a whole. Roughly in line with York County overall, where about half of all tests come back high. A standard system here typically costs $800 to $1,500. The only way to know about one house is to test it.
Jackson Township is a township in York County with about 8,955 residents and 3,764 homes, median year built 1986. It covers the area around Spring Grove. York Airport is in the township. 53.7% of PA DEP radon tests in its ZIP codes came back at or above the action level, above the county's 52.5%.
What the PA DEP test records show for Jackson Township
ZIP codes don't follow township lines, so the 3 ZIP codes below also take in some homes just outside Jackson Township.
| ZIP | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L | 10+ | 20+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17362 | 3,003 | 5.8 | 58.6% | 38% | 22.9% |
| 17364 | 436 | 4.1 | 51.8% | 23.9% | 8% |
| 17408 | 3,880 | 4 | 50.1% | 23.4% | 10.7% |
| York County | 98,845 | 4.3 | 52.5% | 26.8% | 13.1% |
- ZIP 17362 (about 55% of Jackson Township's land): median 5.8 pCi/L across 3,003 tests, 22.9% at 20 or higher, top reading 673. Basement median 7.2, first floor 2.8.
- ZIP 17364 (about 33% of Jackson Township's land): median 4.1 pCi/L across 436 tests, 8% at 20 or higher, top reading 122. Basement median 4.7, first floor 2.
- ZIP 17408 (about 10% of Jackson Township's land): median 4 pCi/L across 3,880 tests, 10.7% at 20 or higher, top reading 203. Basement median 4.8, first floor 1.4.
The spread inside Jackson Township runs from 50.1% of tests high in 17408 to 58.6% in 17362.
Look past the median to the high end. One test in 6 here came in at 20 pCi/L or more, five times the action level, and the highest reading on record is 673 pCi/L. Neighboring houses can differ by a factor of ten, so none of this tells you what your house is. It tells you the odds are high enough that a $15 to $30 test kit is worth buying.
Tests people chose to run, not a random survey. Details on the York County radon levels page.
Basement readings versus first-floor readings
In ZIP 17362, basement tests have a median of 7.2 pCi/L, while tests taken on the first floor have a median of 2.8 pCi/L (276 first-floor tests). The basement number runs 2.6 times the first-floor number, which is the usual pattern: radon comes up from the soil, so it is strongest at the lowest level and gets diluted as it moves up through the house.
It also explains why two neighbors can get very different results. One tested a finished basement, the other tested a first-floor bedroom. For a decision about mitigation, the test that counts is the one from the lowest level anyone spends time in.
Radon results by decade in ZIP 17362
| Decade tested | Tests | Median pCi/L | 4+ pCi/L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 160 | 5 | 55.6% |
| 2000s | 1,007 | 5.2 | 56.2% |
| 2010s | 1,240 | 6.5 | 62.2% |
| 2020s | 578 | 5.2 | 56.1% |
The share peaked in the 2010s at 62.2% and sits at 56.1% for tests since 2020. That is a small move, well within what you'd expect from a shifting mix of home-sale tests and retests. 578 tests have been logged in 17362 since 2020, so people here are still testing.
Housing in Jackson Township and what it means for a system
Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024:
| Jackson Township | York County | |
|---|---|---|
| Homes (housing units) | 3,764 | 189,857 |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1976 |
| Built before 1940 | 16.2% | 18.3% |
| Built before 1980 | 44% | 54.8% |
| Built 2000 or later | 37.9% | 20.6% |
| Single-family detached | 68.1% | 64.3% |
| Attached (rowhome, townhouse) | 19.5% | 17.1% |
| Mobile homes | 9.3% | 4.1% |
| Owner-occupied | 86.8% | 76.3% |
9.3% of homes in Jackson Township are mobile or manufactured homes, well above the county's 4.1%. Those sit over a crawlspace or skirted pad rather than a basement, and the fix is different: a sealed membrane over the soil with suction under it. See crawlspace radon for what that involves.
37.9% of the homes here were built in 2000 or later, one of the higher shares in the county. New construction is not radon-proof. A tight modern house can hold radon in as well as it holds heat in. Some builders rough in a passive vent pipe during construction, which makes a later active system cheaper, so check for a capped pipe in the basement. More on that in radon in new construction.
Cost-wise, a newer house with a passive pipe already roughed in can come in under the usual $800 to $1,500, since the installer mostly adds a fan and a gauge. Full ranges on the cost page.
Where we work in Jackson Township
Public schools here are part of Spring Grove Area School District. York Airport is in the township.
Installers must hold a PA DEP radon mitigation certification (how to check), and permit questions go to the township office at www.jacksontwpyork.org.
Common questions
Is radon a problem in Jackson Township?
Yes. PA DEP has 7,319 tests on record from the ZIP codes covering Jackson Township, and 53.7% of them came back at or above the EPA's 4.0 pCi/L action level. 15.5% were at 20 pCi/L or more. The county-wide rate is 52.5%.
What is the average radon level in ZIP 17362?
The median of 3,003 PA DEP tests in ZIP 17362 is 5.8 pCi/L and the mean is 17.5 pCi/L. A mean that far above the median means a long tail of very high readings, topping out at 673 pCi/L.
Nearby
Spring Grove 58.6%, Jefferson 58.6%, West Manchester Township 50.5%, North Codorus Township 55.6%, New Salem 50.3%. Share of PA DEP tests at or above 4.0 pCi/L, against 53.7% here.
Have a test result from Jackson Township?
Send us the number and the foundation type, or call and read it out.
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