Noise Levels in 93921, CA | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map
54 dBA
Average noise across 93921
Quiet office to normal conversation
844
Residents above the EPA 55 dBA threshold
46% of 93921 residents
60 dBA
Loudest residential point
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
This map shows modeled outdoor noise across 93921 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 844 93921 residents, or 45.9%, live above that level. By land area, 48.0% of 93921 is above 55 dBA.
52.0% below 55 dBA
48.0% above 55 dBA
See how noise in 93921 compares to similar-sized zip codes.
Noise by Part of 93921
Average noise levels for 93921 residents, grouped by direction from the center of 93921. The highest population-weighted average is in northern 93921; the lowest is in central 93921, where just 30% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in the loudest section.
Northern 93921
56.1 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Northeastern 93921
55.6 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
Southern 93921
53.1 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
Central 93921
53.0 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
To the human ear, noise in northern 93921 sounds about 24% louder than in central 93921, a 3.1 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 do you need to be?
produces an estimated 60 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
60 dBA
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
165 ft
46 dBA
Quiet suburban street at night
330 ft
38 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 28% of 93921 sits under tree canopy (about average for zip codes) and roughly 26% 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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How Noise Is Distributed Across 93921
The bar chart below shows the share of 93921 residents in each noise band. About 52% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 0% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.
How 93921 Compares
93921 sits the highest among the peer group. Below: how 93921's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with 93953, 95039, 93925, and 93920.
Average noise level (dBA)
93921's 53.6 dBA pop-weighted average is the highest among the peer group. California as a whole averages 54.0 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than 93921 because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.
Share of residents above 55 dBA
About 45.9% of 93921 residents live in blocks where outdoor levels exceed the EPA's 55 dBA threshold. That's more than any of its peer group. Measured by land area instead, 48.0% of 93921's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a California average of 36.0% and a national average of 28.1%.
What This Means if You're Moving to 93921
- 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 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 28% of 93921 is under tree cover (about average for zip codes), and the dominant land cover is low-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.
