Polk County Health Department  •  Cancer Prevention Initiative

Radon Is Iowa's Silent Cancer Risk — And It's Fixable

A case for investing in the Polk County Radon Test & Fix Pilot: an 18‑month program to test homes, track results countywide, and connect residents with lung cancer screening and radon mitigation.
Polk County Health Department logo
71.6%
of Iowa homes tested above the EPA radon action level of 4 pCi/L — and all of Iowa sits in EPA Zone 1, the highest radon‑potential category.
~330
new lung & bronchus cancer cases per year in Polk County (2018–2022). Lung cancer has the county's 2nd‑highest incidence and its highest cancer mortality rate.
#1
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, and the 2nd leading cause overall — after smoking, and ahead of every other environmental risk.

A Disproportionate & Growing Burden

Polk County's age‑adjusted lung cancer rate outpaces the national rate for both men and women — and late‑stage diagnoses remain common, especially among men. Age‑adjusted mortality is significantly higher for non‑Hispanic Black residents than non‑Hispanic White residents.

90.3 53.8 Male 68.7 46.1 Female 56.0 41.3 Late-stage*
Polk County National
Age‑adjusted lung cancer rate per 100,000. *Late‑stage diagnosis rate, Polk County only (male vs. female).
Testing is the only way to know. Radon can't be seen, smelled, or tasted. Homes in every part of Polk County can have elevated levels — but exposure, testing access, and follow‑through on mitigation are not distributed equally. The pilot targets ZCTAs where cancer burden and social vulnerability are both highest.

Priority ZCTAs — Risk, Testing & Vulnerability

ZCTAAreaLung Cancer Rate*Tests / 1k Units**Pop. in PovertyPop. of ColorPopulation
50317Des Moines114.48.814.0%36%37,221
50315Des Moines103.011.613.9%35%36,693
50320Des Moines102.714.010.3%45%23,369
50316Des Moines99.611.717.9%53%16,785
50309Des Moines95.12.518.6%36%9,532
50314Des Moines90.58.640.5%74%11,764
50313Des Moines86.227.015.4%42%17,723
*Age‑adjusted lung cancer incidence rate per 100,000. **Radon tests per 1,000 housing units, 2020–2024. Source: Polk County radon testing database; State Cancer Profiles; ACS estimates.
These are the county's highest-risk, least-tested ZCTAs. Combined, these seven ZCTAs test at just ~12.6 tests per 1,000 housing units — about 63% of the countywide rate of ~20.1 per 1,000, and as low as 2.5 per 1,000 in ZCTA 50309 — despite carrying the county's highest lung cancer rates and poverty rates up to 4x the countywide average (9.9%). This gap is exactly what the pilot is designed to close.
Polk County Radon Test & Fix Pilot — Advocacy Brief Page 1 of 2
The Proposed Solution

The Polk County Radon Test & Fix Pilot

An 18‑month, data‑driven pilot built on a simple model: Test homes, Track results countywide, and Fix the problem — connecting residents to free mitigation and lung cancer screening where risk is highest.
Polk County Health Department logo
1
Test
Distribute low‑cost / free radon test kits, prioritizing ZCTAs with the highest lung cancer rates and largest populations of color.
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2
Track
Build a countywide radon results database; publish results by ZCTA annually to encourage further testing and mitigation.
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3
Fix
Apply a mitigation algorithm: free mitigation or resources at ≥4 pCi/L, and long‑term retesting for results ≥2 pCi/L.

Program Goals

1
Focus where risk is highestPrioritize ZCTAs with the highest cancer rates and social vulnerability, testing more homes per 100k than the county average.
2
Build a lasting data assetCreate a countywide radon database tracking homes/buildings tested and lab results, published annually by ZCTA.
3
Match community investmentSecure community‑partner funding, matched dollar‑for‑dollar by Polk County for the pilot period.
4
Mobilize local partnersEngage realty companies, health care providers, and neighborhood associations to promote testing.
5
Remove cost as a barrierOffer free mitigation or mitigation resources for results ≥4 pCi/L, with long‑term retesting for results ≥2 pCi/L.
6
Plan for sustainabilityEngage Iowa HHS, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, and others to sustain the program beyond the pilot.

18‑Month Pilot Timeline

Months 1–3
Launch: secure match funding, build database, recruit partners, begin priority‑ZCTA outreach.
Months 4–15
Core operations: distribute test kits, log results by ZCTA, deliver mitigation, connect residents to lung cancer screening, publish first public results.
Months 16–18
Evaluate outcomes, finalize sustainability plan, and report results to funders and the community.
$200,000+$200,000
Polk County is seeking up to $200,000 in community‑partner funding for this 18‑month pilot. Every dollar raised will be matched by Polk County, up to $200,000 — turning a community investment into a program of up to $400,000.
Who we're partnering with: Iowa HHS, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society, local health care providers, realty companies, and neighborhood associations — building the coalition needed to sustain radon testing and mitigation in Polk County well beyond the pilot period.
Join us.  To discuss funding this pilot or partnering on outreach, testing, or mitigation, contact Polk County Health Department at meg@aperiostatisticalconsulting.com.
Sources: Iowa HHS Radon Program; Iowa Radon Survey; State Cancer Profiles; 2026 Cancer in Iowa report; ACS estimates. Page 2 of 2