Noise Levels in South University, Eugene, OR | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map
56 dBA
Average noise across South University
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
1,620
Residents above the EPA 55 dBA threshold
60% of South University residents
66 dBA
Loudest residential point
Busy restaurant
This map shows modeled outdoor noise across South University 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 1,620 South University residents, or 60.0%, live above that level. By land area, 72.5% of South University is above 55 dBA.
27.5% below 55 dBA
72.5% above 55 dBA
See how noise in South University compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of South University
Average noise levels for South University residents, grouped by direction from the center of South University. The highest population-weighted average is in western South University; the lowest is in eastern South University, where just 59% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, roughly the same as the share in the loudest section.
Western South University
59.2 dBA · Loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Central South University
56.4 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Eastern South University
55.5 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
To the human ear, noise in western South University sounds about 29% louder than in eastern South University, a 3.7 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 66 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.
At source
66 dBA
Busy restaurant
165 ft
53 dBA
Quiet office to normal conversation
330 ft
45 dBA
Quiet suburban street at night
660 ft
38 dBA
Soft rainfall
¼ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
½ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 19% of South University sits under tree canopy (about average for neighborhoods) and roughly 58% 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.
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Airport Noise
Mahlon Sweet Field (EUG) sits northwest of South University. The U.S. Department of Transportation models aviation noise around this airport from federal traffic data, and the model uses those federal measurements rather than synthetic predictions.
Blocks under the approach and departure paths carry combined road-plus-aviation noise, with some exceeding 55 dBA on the map's Overall layer. Blocks on the opposite side of South University, particularly to the southeast, show no measurable aviation contribution. Use the Aviation toggle on the map above to isolate the airport's footprint.
How Noise Is Distributed Across South University
The bar chart below shows the share of South University residents in each noise band. About 44% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 9% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.
How South University Compares
South University sits at the quieter end of the spectrum. Below: how South University's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with West Eugene, Whiteaker, West University, and Fairmount.
Average noise level (dBA)
South University's 56.2 dBA pop-weighted average is at the quieter end of the spectrum. Oregon as a whole averages 52.9 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than South University because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.
Share of residents above 55 dBA
About 60.0% of South University residents live in blocks where outdoor levels exceed the EPA's 55 dBA threshold. That's in the middle of its peer group. Measured by land area instead, 72.5% of South University's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a Oregon average of 24.2% and a national average of 28.1%.
What This Means if You're Moving to South University
- Distance from highways matters more than the neighborhood name. Two homes in the same zip code can differ by 20 dBA if one sits 100 meters from and the other 500 meters away. The model captures this at 100-meter resolution, so noise exposure changes block by block.
- Tree canopy can help reduce modeled noise exposure. Roughly 19% of South University is under tree cover (about average for neighborhoods), and the dominant land cover is medium-intensity developed land. Both are measured from federal USDA Forest Service and USGS satellite imagery at 30-meter resolution. Streets with 60% or higher canopy show 3 to 5 dBA lower noise than comparable streets with bare ground or pavement, which is why the per-place decay rate above already accounts for it.
- Airport noise is directional. Mahlon Sweet Field's approach paths concentrate aviation noise to the northwest. Neighborhoods to the southeast of downtown show no measurable contribution from the airport.
