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El Sereno noise map: how loud is it?
El Sereno is one of Los Angeles's quieter neighborhoods: just 5.2% of residents face 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise (road, rail and aviation), ranking it 98th of 110 Los Angeles neighborhoods. Most streets sit well back from any freeway, rail line or flight path; the map shows where the noise does reach.
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| Rank in Los Angeles (of 110 neighborhoods) | #98 |
|---|---|
| Residents above 60 dB | 5.2% |
| Residents above 70 dB | 2.1% |
| Residents in the 45–60 dB band | 23.8% |
| Residents (ACS 2016–2020, area-weighted) | 40,936 |
| Census tracts mapped | 22 |
El Sereno is home to about 40,936 residents across 22 census tracts. 5.2% of them are exposed to 60 dB or more of average-day road, rail and aviation noise. Within that, 2.1% face the most severe band — 70 dB or louder, the level at which sustained exposure starts to threaten hearing. A further 23.8% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. That ranks El Sereno #98 of 110 Los Angeles neighborhoods, quieter than most Los Angeles neighborhoods. Among Los Angeles neighborhoods it sits just below Sunland (#97) and just above Westwood (#99).
El Sereno mostly sits away from the loud corridors. Where the noise does climb it traces a single freeway, rail line or flight path near the edge of the neighborhood rather than the residential core, so the great majority of blocks stay calm. The map pinpoints exactly where the exposure is.
El Sereno noise: the specifics
- Ranks #98 of 110 Los Angeles neighborhoods by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
- 5.2% of El Sereno's ~40,936 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
- 2.1% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 23.8% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
- Area-weighted across 22 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
- #98 of 110 — see the full Los Angeles ranking.
What share of El Sereno residents are exposed to 60 dB or louder transportation noise?
5.2% of El Sereno residents live with average-day transportation noise (road, rail and aviation) at or above 60 dB, and 2.1% are above 70 dB — ranking El Sereno #98 of 110 Los Angeles neighborhoods by noise exposure.
How El Sereno compares
How this is measured
This is a transparent aggregation of federal data, not an estimate: the US DOT 2020 National Transportation Noise Map (road + rail + aviation), paired with Census population by the University of Washington and area-weighted to the Los Angeles Times boundary for El Sereno. It does not count sirens, construction, nightlife or neighbors, and it resolves busy corridors better than quiet local streets. For your exact spot, measure it with the free online decibel meter →
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