This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Pacific Beach 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 30 Pacific Beach residents, or 9.6%, live above that level. By land area, 6.1% of Pacific Beach is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Pacific Beach compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Pacific Beach
Average noise levels for Pacific Beach residents, grouped by direction from the center of Pacific Beach. Central Pacific Beach carries the highest population-weighted average; Eastern Pacific Beach carries the lowest. Just 0% of residents in Eastern Pacific Beach live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a fifth of the share in Central Pacific Beach.
Central Pacific Beach
50% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Pacific Beach
0% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Pacific Beach
5% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Pacific Beach
0% of people above 55 dBA
Western Pacific Beach
17% of people above 55 dBA
Central Pacific Beach sounds about 592% louder than Eastern Pacific Beach to the human ear, a 27.9 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 SR-109 do you need to be?
SR-109 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 31% of Pacific Beach sits under tree canopy (about average for cities) and roughly 29% 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.