Noise Levels in University of Ohio Akron, Akron, OH | Find Quiet Neighborhoods With Our Sound Map
57 dBA
Average noise across University of Ohio Akron
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
2,493
Residents above the EPA 55 dBA threshold
48% of University of Ohio Akron residents
82 dBA
Loudest residential point
Food blender at arm’s length
This map shows modeled outdoor noise across University of Ohio Akron 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 2,493 University of Ohio Akron residents, or 47.5%, live above that level. By land area, 63.6% of University of Ohio Akron is above 55 dBA.
36.4% below 55 dBA
63.6% above 55 dBA
See how noise in University of Ohio Akron compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of University of Ohio Akron
Average noise levels for University of Ohio Akron residents, grouped by direction from the center of University of Ohio Akron. The highest population-weighted average is in southeastern University of Ohio Akron; the lowest is in western University of Ohio Akron, where just 43% of residents live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, about half the share in the loudest section.
Southeastern University of Ohio Akron
72.7 dBA · Loud
City bus interior
Southern University of Ohio Akron
67.7 dBA · Loud
Highway traffic 50 ft away
Southwestern University of Ohio Akron
65.1 dBA · Loud
Busy restaurant
Central University of Ohio Akron
60.0 dBA · Loud
Normal conversation an arm’s length away
Western University of Ohio Akron
54.2 dBA · Moderate-loud
Quiet office to normal conversation
To the human ear, noise in southeastern University of Ohio Akron sounds about 261% louder than in western University of Ohio Akron, a 18.5 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 SR-8 N do you need to be?
SR-8 N produces an estimated 76 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
76 dBA
City bus interior
165 ft
62 dBA
Busy restaurant
330 ft
55 dBA
Quiet office to normal conversation
660 ft
47 dBA
Quiet office
¼ mile
39 dBA
Soft rainfall
½ mile
35 dBA
Soft rainfall
Calculated from the model's calibrated attenuation formula. About 12% of University of Ohio Akron sits under tree canopy (about average for neighborhoods) and roughly 59% 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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Rail Noise
Active freight rail runs through parts of University of Ohio Akron. For most blocks the rail-only contribution is small. Combined road-plus-rail noise rarely exceeds road noise on its own. The exceptions are the handful of blocks within roughly a quarter mile of the right-of-way during pass-through hours.
Use the Rail toggle on the map above to isolate rail's contribution from road and aviation.
How Noise Is Distributed Across University of Ohio Akron
The bar chart below shows the share of University of Ohio Akron residents in each noise band. About 47% of residents live below the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, and roughly 22% live in blocks above 60 dBA. Long-term exposure in that range is linked to elevated stress hormones and cardiovascular risk.
How University of Ohio Akron Compares
University of Ohio Akron sits the highest among the peer group. Below: how University of Ohio Akron's average outdoor noise and share of residents above the EPA threshold compare with South Akron, Chapel Hill, Lane-Wooster, and Middlebury.
Average noise level (dBA)
University of Ohio Akron's 57.4 dBA pop-weighted average is the highest among the peer group. Ohio as a whole averages 51.1 dBA and the U.S. averages 52.0 dBA. Both are lower than University of Ohio Akron because most of either area is rural land away from major roads.
Share of residents above 55 dBA
About 47.5% of University of Ohio Akron 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, 63.6% of University of Ohio Akron's footprint sits above 55 dBA, against a Ohio average of 26.4% and a national average of 28.1%.
What This Means if You're Moving to University of Ohio Akron
- 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 SR-8 N 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 12% of University of Ohio Akron 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.
