This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Four Corners 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 7,113 Four Corners residents, or 42.3%, live above that level. By land area, 41.7% of Four Corners is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Four Corners compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Four Corners
Average noise levels for Four Corners residents, grouped by direction from the center of Four Corners. Western Four Corners carries the highest population-weighted average; Eastern Four Corners carries the lowest. Just 29% of residents in Eastern Four Corners live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in Western Four Corners.
Central Four Corners
50% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Four Corners
29% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Four Corners
44% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Four Corners
38% of people above 55 dBA
Western Four Corners
51% of people above 55 dBA
Western Four Corners sounds about 34% louder than Eastern Four Corners to the human ear, a 4.2 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 Interstate Route 5 do you need to be?
Interstate Route 5 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 soft rainfall.
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 10% of Four Corners sits under tree canopy (lighter than most cities) 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.