Noise Levels in University District, Missoula, MT | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map
53 dBA
Average noise across University District
Quiet office to normal conversation
2,168
Residents above the EPA 55 dBA threshold
38% of University District residents
64 dBA
Loudest residential point
Busy restaurant
This map shows modeled outdoor noise across University District 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 2,168 University District residents, or 38.2%, live above that level. By land area, 53.3% of University District is above 55 dBA.
46.7% below 55 dBA
53.3% above 55 dBA
See how noise in University District compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of University District
Average noise levels for University District residents, grouped by direction from the center of University District. The highest population-weighted average is in northwestern University District; the lowest is in southwestern University District, where just 31% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in the loudest section.
Northwestern University District
57.5 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Northern University District
57.4 dBA · Moderate-loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Southeastern University District
54.2 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
Southern University District
52.8 dBA · Moderate
Quiet office to normal conversation
Southwestern University District
52.7 dBA · Moderate
Quiet office to normal conversation
To the human ear, noise in northwestern University District sounds about 39% louder than in southwestern University District, a 4.8 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 64 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
64 dBA
Busy restaurant
165 ft
52 dBA
Quiet office to normal conversation
330 ft
45 dBA
Quiet suburban street at night
660 ft
37 dBA
Soft rainfall
¼ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
½ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 3% of University District sits under tree canopy (much lighter than most neighborhoods) and roughly 42% 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
Missoula Montana (MSO) sits northwest of University District. 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 University District, 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 University District
The bar chart below shows the share of University District residents in each noise band. About 64% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 2% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.
How University District Compares
University District sits the lowest among the peer group. Below: how University District's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with Westside, Rose Park, Emma Dickinson Orchard Homes, and Captain John Mullan.
Average noise level (dBA)
University District's 53.2 dBA pop-weighted average is the lowest among the peer group. Montana as a whole averages 49.0 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than University District because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.
Share of residents above 55 dBA
About 38.2% of University District 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, 53.3% of University District's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a Montana average of 16.9% and a national average of 28.1%.
What This Means if You're Moving to University District
- 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 3% of University District is under tree cover (much lighter than most neighborhoods), and the dominant land cover is low-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. Missoula Montana's approach paths concentrate aviation noise to the northwest. Neighborhoods to the southeast of downtown show no measurable contribution from the airport.
