This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Belknap Lookout 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 2,544 Belknap Lookout residents, or 60.3%, live above that level. By land area, 67.4% of Belknap Lookout is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Belknap Lookout compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Belknap Lookout
Average noise levels for Belknap Lookout residents, grouped by direction from the center of Belknap Lookout. The highest population-weighted average is in northwestern Belknap Lookout; the lowest is in northeastern Belknap Lookout, where just 27% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in the loudest section.
Northwestern Belknap Lookout
59% of people above 55 dBA
Western Belknap Lookout
59% of people above 55 dBA
Central Belknap Lookout
53% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Belknap Lookout
28% of people above 55 dBA
Northeastern Belknap Lookout
27% of people above 55 dBA
To the human ear, noise in northwestern Belknap Lookout sounds about 130% louder than in northeastern Belknap Lookout, a 12.0 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 80 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 22% of Belknap Lookout sits under tree canopy (heavier than most neighborhoods) and roughly 54% 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.