Noise Levels in 97215, OR | 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 6,933 97215 residents, or 50.5%, live above that level. By land area, 53.0% of 97215 is above 55 dBA.

See how noise in 97215 compares to similar-sized zip codes.

Noise by Part of 97215

Average noise levels for 97215 residents, grouped by direction from the center of 97215. The highest population-weighted average is in northeastern 97215; the lowest is in southwestern 97215, where just 35% 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 northeastern 97215 sounds about 24% louder than in southwestern 97215, 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.

Airport Noise

Portland International (PDX) sits north of 97215. 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 97215, 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 97215

The bar chart below shows the share of 97215 residents in each noise band. About 50% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 5% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.

How 97215 Compares

97215 sits at the quieter end of the spectrum. Below: how 97215's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with 97216, 97218, 97201, and 97209.

Average noise level (dBA)

97215's 54.5 dBA pop-weighted average is at the quieter end of the spectrum. Oregon as a whole averages 52.9 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than 97215 because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.

Share of residents above 55 dBA

About 50.5% of 97215 residents live in blocks where outdoor levels exceed the EPA's 55 dBA threshold. That's in the middle of its peer group. Measured by land area instead, 53.0% of 97215's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a Oregon average of 24.2% and a national average of 28.1%.

What This Means if You're Moving to 97215

• 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 32% of 97215 is under tree cover (heavier 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. Portland 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