This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Germantown 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 570 Germantown Hills residents, or 12.4%, live above that level. By land area, 23.6% of Germantown Hills is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Germantown Hills compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Germantown Hills
Average noise levels for Germantown Hills residents, grouped by direction from the center of Germantown Hills. Eastern Germantown Hills carries the highest population-weighted average; Southern Germantown Hills carries the lowest. Just 12% of residents in Southern Germantown Hills live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, three-quarters of the share in Eastern Germantown Hills.
Central Germantown Hills
6% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Germantown Hills
15% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Germantown Hills
21% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Germantown Hills
12% of people above 55 dBA
Western Germantown Hills
8% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Germantown Hills sounds about 38% louder than Southern Germantown Hills to the human ear, a 4.6 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 Townhall Rd do you need to be?
Townhall Rd produces an estimated 55 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 26% of Germantown Hills sits under tree canopy (about average for cities) and roughly 23% 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.