This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Pretty Bayou 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 630 Pretty Bayou residents, or 19.6%, live above that level. By land area, 18.5% of Pretty Bayou is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Pretty Bayou compares to similar-sized cities.
Noise by Part of Pretty Bayou
Average noise levels for Pretty Bayou residents, grouped by direction from the center of Pretty Bayou. Central Pretty Bayou carries the highest population-weighted average; Southern Pretty Bayou carries the lowest. Just 8% of residents in Southern Pretty Bayou live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a third of the share in Central Pretty Bayou.
Central Pretty Bayou
36% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Pretty Bayou
12% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Pretty Bayou
11% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Pretty Bayou
8% of people above 55 dBA
Western Pretty Bayou
22% of people above 55 dBA
Central Pretty Bayou sounds about 61% louder than Southern Pretty Bayou to the human ear, a 6.9 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 23RD St do you need to be?
23RD St produces an estimated 63 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 12% of Pretty Bayou sits under tree canopy (lighter than most cities) and roughly 30% 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.