This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Downtown Thousand Oaks 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 1,779 Downtown Thousand Oaks residents, or 46.4%, live above that level. By land area, 72.9% of Downtown Thousand Oaks is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Downtown Thousand Oaks compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Downtown Thousand Oaks
Average noise levels for Downtown Thousand Oaks residents, grouped by direction from the center of Downtown Thousand Oaks. Eastern Downtown Thousand Oaks carries the highest population-weighted average; Central Downtown Thousand Oaks carries the lowest. Just 19% of residents in Central Downtown Thousand Oaks live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a third of the share in Eastern Downtown Thousand Oaks.
Central Downtown Thousand Oaks
19% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Downtown Thousand Oaks
88% of people above 55 dBA
Western Downtown Thousand Oaks
52% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Downtown Thousand Oaks sounds about 79% louder than Central Downtown Thousand Oaks to the human ear, a 8.4 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 El Camino Real do you need to be?
El Camino Real produces an estimated 77 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 quiet suburban street at night.
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 3% of Downtown Thousand Oaks sits under tree canopy (much lighter than most neighborhoods) and roughly 44% 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.