This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Mount Sunapee 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 0 Mount Sunapee residents, or 0.1%, live above that level. By land area, 0.1% of Mount Sunapee is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Mount Sunapee compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Mount Sunapee
Average noise levels for Mount Sunapee residents, grouped by direction from the center of Mount Sunapee. Northern Mount Sunapee carries the highest population-weighted average; Western Mount Sunapee carries the lowest. Just 0% of residents in Western Mount Sunapee live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a fraction of the share in Northern Mount Sunapee.
Northern Mount Sunapee
0% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Mount Sunapee
0% of people above 55 dBA
Western Mount Sunapee
0% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Mount Sunapee sounds about 214% louder than Western Mount Sunapee to the human ear, a 16.5 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 Brook Rd do you need to be?
Brook Rd produces an estimated 53 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 86% of Mount Sunapee sits under tree canopy (much heavier than most cities) and roughly 0% 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.