This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Hethwood-Prices Fork 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 1,416 Hethwood-Prices Fork residents, or 21.1%, live above that level. By land area, 37.1% of Hethwood-Prices Fork is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Hethwood-Prices Fork compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Hethwood-Prices Fork
Average noise levels for Hethwood-Prices Fork residents, grouped by direction from the center of Hethwood-Prices Fork. Eastern Hethwood-Prices Fork carries the highest population-weighted average; Central Hethwood-Prices Fork carries the lowest. Just 17% of residents in Central Hethwood-Prices Fork live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in Eastern Hethwood-Prices Fork.
Central Hethwood-Prices Fork
17% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Hethwood-Prices Fork
38% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Hethwood-Prices Fork
20% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Hethwood-Prices Fork
35% of people above 55 dBA
Western Hethwood-Prices Fork
20% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Hethwood-Prices Fork sounds about 45% louder than Central Hethwood-Prices Fork to the human ear, a 5.4 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 Prices Fork Rd do you need to be?
Prices Fork Rd produces an estimated 64 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 Hethwood-Prices Fork sits under tree canopy (lighter than most neighborhoods) and roughly 32% 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.