Noise Levels in 10302, NY | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map

Population Above the EPA Outdoor Threshold

The EPA's 55 dBA outdoor reference level is a common benchmark for residential noise exposure, especially for activity interference, annoyance, and long-term community noise concerns. About 7,514 10302 residents, or 44.2%, live above that level. By land area, 43.1% of 10302 is above 55 dBA.

See how noise in 10302 compares to similar-sized zip codes.

Noise by Part of 10302

Average noise levels for 10302 residents, grouped by direction from the center of 10302. The highest population-weighted average is in western 10302; the lowest is in central 10302, where just 49% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in the loudest section.

To the human ear, noise in western 10302 sounds about 107% louder than in central 10302, a 10.5 dBA gap. Every 10 dBA roughly doubles perceived loudness. Within any of these directions, two homes a quarter mile apart can still differ by 10 or more dBA depending on how close they sit to a major highway.

Airport Noise

Newark Liberty International (EWR) sits north of 10302. The U.S. Department of Transportation measures aviation noise around this airport directly, and the model uses those federal measurements rather than synthetic predictions.

Blocks under the approach and departure paths carry combined road-plus-aviation noise, with some exceeding 75 dBA on the map's Overall layer. Blocks on the opposite side of 10302, particularly to the south, show no measurable aviation contribution. Use the Aviation toggle on the map above to isolate the airport's footprint.

How Noise Is Distributed Across 10302

The bar chart below shows the share of 10302 residents in each noise band. About 46% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 12% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.

How 10302 Compares

10302 sits the lowest among the peer group. Below: how 10302's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with 10038, 10013, 10310, and 10303.

Average noise level (dBA)

10302's 55.9 dBA pop-weighted average is the lowest among the peer group. New York as a whole averages 55.4 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than 10302 because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.

Share of residents above 55 dBA

About 44.2% of 10302 residents live in blocks where outdoor levels exceed the EPA's 55 dBA threshold. That's fewer than any of its peer group. Measured by land area instead, 43.1% of 10302's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a New York average of 30.9% and a national average of 28.1%.

What This Means if You're Moving to 10302

• Distance from highways matters more than the neighborhood name. Two homes in the same zip code can differ by 20 dBA if one sits 100 meters from Port Richmond Ave and the other 500 meters away. The model captures this at 100-meter resolution, so noise exposure changes block by block.
• Tree canopy can help reduce modeled noise exposure. Roughly 15% of 10302 is under tree cover (lighter than most zip codes), and the dominant land cover is medium-intensity developed land. Both are measured from federal USDA Forest Service and USGS satellite imagery at 30-meter resolution. Streets with 60% or higher canopy show 3 to 5 dBA lower noise than comparable streets with bare ground or pavement, which is why the per-place decay rate above already accounts for it.
• Airport noise is directional. Newark Liberty International's approach paths concentrate aviation noise to the north. Neighborhoods to the south of downtown show no measurable contribution from the airport.

Sources & Methodology