This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Lake Los Angeles 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 551 Lake Los Angeles residents, or 8.9%, live above that level. By land area, 9.5% of Lake Los Angeles is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Lake Los Angeles compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Lake Los Angeles
Average noise levels for Lake Los Angeles residents, grouped by direction from the center of Lake Los Angeles. Central Lake Los Angeles carries the highest population-weighted average; Eastern Lake Los Angeles carries the lowest. Just 9% of residents in Eastern Lake Los Angeles live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in Central Lake Los Angeles.
Central Lake Los Angeles
16% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Lake Los Angeles
9% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Lake Los Angeles
8% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Lake Los Angeles
9% of people above 55 dBA
Western Lake Los Angeles
6% of people above 55 dBA
Central Lake Los Angeles sounds about 21% louder than Eastern Lake Los Angeles to the human ear, a 2.8 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 do you need to be?
produces an estimated 62 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 0% of Lake Los Angeles sits under tree canopy (much lighter than most cities) and roughly 10% 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.