This map shows modeled outdoor noise across Western 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 737 Western Hills residents, or 24.1%, live above that level. By land area, 27.3% of Western Hills is above 55 dBA.
See how noise in Western Hills compares to similar-sized neighborhoods.
Noise by Part of Western Hills
Average noise levels for Western Hills residents, grouped by direction from the center of Western Hills. Eastern Western Hills carries the highest population-weighted average; Western Western Hills carries the lowest. Just 23% of residents in Western Western Hills live in blocks above the EPA's 55 dBA threshold, roughly the same as the share in Eastern Western Hills.
Central Western Hills
19% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Western Hills
18% of people above 55 dBA
Northern Western Hills
20% of people above 55 dBA
Southern Western Hills
77% of people above 55 dBA
Western Western Hills
23% of people above 55 dBA
Eastern Western Hills sounds about 74% louder than Western Western Hills to the human ear, a 8.0 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 US Hwy 287 do you need to be?
US Hwy 287 produces an estimated 74 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 25% of Western Hills sits under tree canopy (heavier than most 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.