This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Southwest Saginaw 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 1,799 Southwest Saginaw residents, or 58.0%, live above that level. By land area, 60.4% of Southwest Saginaw is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Southwest Saginaw compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Southwest Saginaw
Average noise levels for Southwest Saginaw residents, grouped by direction from the center of Southwest Saginaw. The highest population-weighted average is in northeastern Southwest Saginaw; the lowest is in central Southwest Saginaw, where just 36% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about two-thirds of the share in the loudest section.
Northeastern Southwest Saginaw
63% of people above 55 dBA
Southwestern Southwest Saginaw
56% of people above 55 dBA
Northwestern Southwest Saginaw
58% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Southwest Saginaw
49% of people above 55 dBA
Central Southwest Saginaw
36% of people above 55 dBA
To the human ear, noise in northeastern Southwest Saginaw sounds about 47% louder than in central Southwest Saginaw, a 5.6 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 67 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 17% of Southwest Saginaw sits under tree canopy (about average for neighborhoods) and roughly 36% 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.