This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Malibar Heights 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 995 Malibar Heights residents, or 25.6%, live above that level. By land area, 37.3% of Malibar Heights is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Malibar Heights compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Malibar Heights
Average noise levels for Malibar Heights residents, grouped by direction from the center of Malibar Heights. Eastern Malibar Heights carries the highest population-weighted average; Northern Malibar Heights carries the lowest. Just 9% of residents in Northern Malibar Heights live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a third of the share in Eastern Malibar Heights.
Central Malibar Heights
25% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Malibar Heights
35% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Malibar Heights
9% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Malibar Heights
19% of people above 55 dBA
Western Malibar Heights
31% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Malibar Heights sounds about 29% louder than Northern Malibar Heights to the human ear, a 3.7 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 Knollwood Dr do you need to be?
Knollwood Dr produces an estimated 57 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 46% of Malibar Heights sits under tree canopy (much heavier than most neighborhoods) and roughly 36% 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.