This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Alta Vista-Waco 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 547 Alta Vista-Waco residents, or 13.6%, live above that level. By land area, 42.0% of Alta Vista-Waco is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Alta Vista-Waco compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Alta Vista-Waco
Average noise levels for Alta Vista-Waco residents, grouped by direction from the center of Alta Vista-Waco. Eastern Alta Vista-Waco carries the highest population-weighted average; Northern Alta Vista-Waco carries the lowest. Just 9% of residents in Northern Alta Vista-Waco live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, three-quarters of the share in Eastern Alta Vista-Waco.
Central Alta Vista-Waco
35% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Alta Vista-Waco
12% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Alta Vista-Waco
9% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Alta Vista-Waco
13% of people above 55 dBA
Western Alta Vista-Waco
15% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Alta Vista-Waco sounds about 72% louder than Northern Alta Vista-Waco to the human ear, a 7.8 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 I-35 do you need to be?
I-35 produces an estimated 78 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.
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 6% of Alta Vista-Waco sits under tree canopy (lighter than most neighborhoods) and roughly 33% 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.