This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Fort Eustis 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 139 Fort Eustis residents, or 3.8%, live above that level. By land area, 5.9% of Fort Eustis is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Fort Eustis compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Fort Eustis
Average noise levels for Fort Eustis residents, grouped by direction from the center of Fort Eustis. Central Fort Eustis carries the highest population-weighted average; Southern Fort Eustis carries the lowest. Just 0% of residents in Southern Fort Eustis live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a fifth of the share in Central Fort Eustis.
Central Fort Eustis
4% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Fort Eustis
3% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Fort Eustis
9% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Fort Eustis
0% of people above 55 dBA
Western Fort Eustis
0% of people above 55 dBA
Central Fort Eustis sounds about 110% louder than Southern Fort Eustis to the human ear, a 10.7 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 Madison Ave do you need to be?
Madison Ave produces an estimated 54 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 30% of Fort Eustis sits under tree canopy (about average for cities) and roughly 38% 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.