This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Pacific-Riverside 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 2,014 Pacific-Riverside residents, or 22.5%, live above that level. By land area, 26.4% of Pacific-Riverside is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Pacific-Riverside compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Pacific-Riverside
Average noise levels for Pacific-Riverside residents, grouped by direction from the center of Pacific-Riverside. Eastern Pacific-Riverside carries the highest population-weighted average; Central Pacific-Riverside carries the lowest. Just 11% of residents in Central Pacific-Riverside live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a third of the share in Eastern Pacific-Riverside.
Central Pacific-Riverside
11% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Pacific-Riverside
37% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Pacific-Riverside
23% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Pacific-Riverside
36% of people above 55 dBA
Western Pacific-Riverside
17% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Pacific-Riverside sounds about 28% louder than Central Pacific-Riverside to the human ear, a 3.6 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 60 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 3% of Pacific-Riverside sits under tree canopy (much lighter than most neighborhoods) and roughly 39% 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.