Noise Levels in 14222, NY | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map
55 dBA
Average noise across 14222
Quiet office to normal conversation
4,535
Residents above the EPA 55 dBA threshold
38% of 14222 residents
68 dBA
Loudest residential point
Highway traffic 50 ft away
This map shows modeled outdoor noise across 14222 at 100-meter resolution, combining road, aviation, and rail sources. Green areas measure below 45 dBA. Orange and red exceed the EPA's 55 dBA outdoor threshold linked to long-term health effects. Use the layer toggles to view each source on its own or all together.
What the numbers sound like
- 30 dBAWhisper
- 40 dBASoft rainfall
- 45 dBAQuiet suburban street at night
- 50 dBAQuiet office
- 55 dBAEPA outdoor threshold: light traffic 100 ft away
- 60 dBANormal conversation an arm's length away
- 65 dBABusy restaurant
- 70 dBAHighway traffic 50 ft away
- 80 dBACity bus interior
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 4,535 14222 residents, or 38.4%, live above that level. By land area, 40.5% of 14222 is above 55 dBA.
59.5% below 55 dBA
40.5% above 55 dBA
See how noise in 14222 compares to similar-sized zip codes.
Noise by Part of 14222
Average noise levels for 14222 residents, grouped by direction from the center of 14222. The highest population-weighted average is in northern 14222; the lowest is in southeastern 14222, where just 16% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in the loudest section.
Northern 14222
57.0 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Northeastern 14222
56.3 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Southwestern 14222
55.3 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
Eastern 14222
54.4 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
Southeastern 14222
52.6 dBA · Moderate
Quiet office to normal conversation
To the human ear, noise in northern 14222 sounds about 36% louder than in southeastern 14222, a 4.4 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.
How far back from Elmwood Ave do you need to be?
Elmwood Ave produces an estimated 61 dBA at its loudest centerline points. Noise drops logarithmically with distance, with the exact rate depending on what's between you and the road. Tree cover, walls, terrain, and pavement type all matter. At roughly a quarter mile back, traffic fades into the noise level of a soft rainfall.
At source
61 dBA
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
165 ft
48 dBA
Quiet office
330 ft
40 dBA
Soft rainfall
660 ft
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
¼ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
½ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 15% of 14222 sits under tree canopy (lighter than most zip codes) and roughly 56% is impervious surface like pavement and rooftops. Both are folded into the per-place decay rate above. Heavier canopy pulls noise down faster with distance; impervious surfaces slow the drop.
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Airport Noise
Buffalo Niagara International (BUF) sits east of 14222. The U.S. Department of Transportation models aviation noise around this airport from federal traffic data, 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 65 dBA on the map's Overall layer. Blocks on the opposite side of 14222, particularly to the west, show no measurable aviation contribution. Use the Aviation toggle on the map above to isolate the airport's footprint.
How Noise Is Distributed Across 14222
The bar chart below shows the share of 14222 residents in each noise band. About 37% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 4% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.
How 14222 Compares
14222 sits the lowest among the peer group. Below: how 14222's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with 14208, 14212, 14201, and 14210.
Average noise level (dBA)
14222's 55.0 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 14222 because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.
Share of residents above 55 dBA
About 38.4% of 14222 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, 40.5% of 14222'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 14222
- 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 Elmwood 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 14222 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. Buffalo Niagara International's approach paths concentrate aviation noise to the east. Neighborhoods to the west of downtown show no measurable contribution from the airport.
