This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Phillips Creek 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 Phillips Creek residents, or 1.3%, live above that level. By land area, 3.6% of Phillips Creek is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Phillips Creek compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Phillips Creek
Average noise levels for Phillips Creek residents, grouped by direction from the center of Phillips Creek. Eastern Phillips Creek carries the highest population-weighted average; Southern Phillips Creek carries the lowest. Just 2% of residents in Southern Phillips Creek live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in Eastern Phillips Creek.
Eastern Phillips Creek
4% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Phillips Creek
0% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Phillips Creek
2% of people above 55 dBA
Western Phillips Creek
0% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Phillips Creek sounds about 62% louder than Southern Phillips Creek to the human ear, a 7.0 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 Vandermark do you need to be?
Vandermark produces an estimated 56 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 81% of Phillips Creek 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.