This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Forest Hills 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 3,102 Forest Hills residents, or 55.2%, live above that level. By land area, 60.3% of Forest Hills is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Forest Hills compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Forest Hills
Average noise levels for Forest Hills residents, grouped by direction from the center of Forest Hills. Southern Forest Hills carries the highest population-weighted average; Eastern Forest Hills carries the lowest. Just 44% of residents in Eastern Forest Hills live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in Southern Forest Hills.
Central Forest Hills
46% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Forest Hills
44% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Forest Hills
50% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Forest Hills
77% of people above 55 dBA
Western Forest Hills
55% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Forest Hills sounds about 35% louder than Eastern Forest Hills to the human ear, a 4.3 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 Lincoln Hw do you need to be?
Lincoln Hw produces an estimated 66 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 40% of Forest Hills sits under tree canopy (about average for cities) and roughly 28% 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.