This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Sunset Hills 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 577 Sunset Hills residents, or 9.8%, live above that level. By land area, 14.2% of Sunset Hills is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Sunset Hills compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Sunset Hills
Average noise levels for Sunset Hills residents, grouped by direction from the center of Sunset Hills. Central Sunset Hills carries the highest population-weighted average; Eastern Sunset Hills carries the lowest. Just 6% of residents in Eastern Sunset Hills live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, a third of the share in Central Sunset Hills.
Central Sunset Hills
23% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Sunset Hills
6% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Sunset Hills
10% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Sunset Hills
0% of people above 55 dBA
Western Sunset Hills
9% of people above 55 dBA
Central Sunset Hills sounds about 116% louder than Eastern Sunset Hills to the human ear, a 11.1 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 Kasold Dr do you need to be?
Kasold Dr produces an estimated 57 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 16% of Sunset Hills sits under tree canopy (about average for neighborhoods) and roughly 28% 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.