Essex, IA: High Radon Risk - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 0 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Essex Water
- Homes built before 1986: 88% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 15.36 - above typical levels.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Essex, Iowa, covering 0 community water system serving approximately 1,278 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 0 of 1 ZIP codes.
EPA water-system violation data is unavailable in the dataset used for this page for the tracked ZIP codes in Essex.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Essex
- Lead action-level status: not available
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
All ZIP Codes in Essex
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Essex
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Essex
With 88% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Essex sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1945 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing - and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Essex were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Essex Homeowners
Given current Essex property values, the remediation share falls in the moderate tier - an indicator that the household financial perspective here calls for advance planning rather than dismissal, with most homeowners positioned to address documented issues through deliberate budgeting rather than needing to treat remediation as a significant equity event or financial emergency.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Essex. The estimated $800–$1,500 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 30% below the Iowa average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Essex
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Although utility-side compliance with federal Lead and Copper requirements remains the system reference, that compliance does not extend down into interior plumbing. With 88% of Essex stock built before the solder ban and aggregate readings at or beyond the action mark, a household-level sample becomes the practical way to close that information gap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Essex, IA