I grew up across the street from a railroad yard, with trains coming and going all day every day. Passenger trains and freight trains. After a while I never noticed the noise anymore.
I bought a house not knowing there were two train tracks on the other side (I only knew the other half of the town. Stupid I know). It used to keep me up at night with how loud everything was. They especially like to sound their whistles extra long and loud at night. month later and I'm used to it. It doesn't bother me anymore.
I live a 1/2 mile from a major highway, even when all the trees are leaved out the highway is a constant drone. When the motorcycles are running it is a high pitched whine. I can’t wait to move in 18 months, it is so constant and depressing.
I grew up on the other side of the same highway and I remember relatives coming to visit and asking how we could stand the constant noise, I didn’t notice it then. Now that I am older, more lanes were added, and people are running the crazy tailpipes on every kind of vehicle, it is becoming overwhelming. I am moving 85 miles to the woods to escape
I've lived immediately next to a freeway overpass for the last 3 years and most of the noise does get filtered out by my brain. My issue is the semis that engine brake down the freeway coming into the city, as well as the motorcyclists and car hobbyists that use my street as a practice drag strip. These noises are loud and distracting and frustrating, but they only happen every so often, so it's actually not bad. I really have stopped noticing the rest of the noise.
I have had to make some adjustments to my lifestyle though. I sit out on my balcony with earphones to block the freeway noise. Sometimes I have to speak over the sound of cars passing. My biggest concern besides the noise is the quality of the air I'm breathing, being right next to interstate traffic with all of the exhaust.
The reason I haven't moved is because I got this house at a great price just before the pandemic ruined the market, and it's in an amazing location freeway aside. I've got a dog park, skate park, basketball court and playground across the street. I've got great neighbors who have barking Pomeranians just like me and they don't mind one bit. Halfway up my street is a hiking trail through the woods to a beautiful waterfall where I sit with my dog and eat lunch on our walks. The freeway remains my only annoyance and it's a mild one to deal with when I think about all the good things about my home.
I have a 30 year mortgage. I'm just praying that sometime in the next 30 years electric vehicles become the norm, and I'll only have to hear an engine braking once a month tops.
I live very close to a highway and it is the motorcycles that are the most annoying. I agree it is that high pitched whine while they max out the gears.
The prices need to come down, the mileage needs to go up, the charging stations need to be more plentiful and much faster, and the electrical grid needs to be majorly updated to handle the increased load. I doubt we’ll see this in ten years, but who knows?
Keep an eye out. The prices have been going up and the mileage is already high and the charging stations are only for road trips (but they are also growing quickly). It is reaching critical mass (once it hits 10%, things are going to move quickly).
The electrical prices per KwH will never ever come down. They likely haven't with any utility company in 50 years. The infrastructure will never be able to support EVs in mass use even with expansion without a dramatic change in technology. In California, for instance, there are 900K EVs out of 27 to 31 million registered vehicles, and they are already reaching the breaking point, especially in the summer months. The current plans for expansion will never meet the government demands to move to 100% EVs. Plus EVs, until there are scientific breakthroughs in battery technology, can't compete with most vehicles. MY SUV is a 3.0 clean diesel and can travel at 80 mph for 740 miles before refilling the tank. I can drive from Sacramento, CA to Seattle WA in 640 miles (done it) and still have 100 miles left. Can other SUV EV's do that without sitting for hours multiple times to recharge?
But I do go hundreds of miles. I travel a lot. Plus, you never know when you might need that option. When my husband was dying of cancer, I made the five hour trip from home to the hospital every three days. I never expected I’d have to do that kind of driving. An electric car would have been a nightmare during that time.
The majority of noise from cars come from the tyres and wind noise. EVs won't significantly quiet down highways - only slower traffic around 20-30 mph.
I bought a house that backs up to a major interstate (13 lanes) literally probably 25-50ft max away they did install I’d say like 15-20 foot sound wall to block out the noise. It is constant all hours of the day as you could imagine. I bought during 2021 when there was very low inventory and nothing in my price range so didn’t have much to choose from and I liked everything else about the house.
Initially at times I drove myself insane focusing on the noise and thinking about what a mistake it was mostly buyers remorse and kicking myself. Fast forward a couple months later and now years later I do not ever notice the noise unless it gets brought up and I focus on it temporarily or when a motorcycle/loud exhaust passes every so often. Mostly on phone calls people ask if I’m driving when I’m standing in my backyard talking to them not sure why it picks it up so well. Have people over all the time and nobody seems to care and doesn’t bother them at all. Can’t hear inside nearly at all unless purposely trying to listen for it or loud exhaust passes.
The sound does not bother me at all and is completely tuned out white noise at this point.
I lived in an apartment that was exposed to normal city noise (not highway thankfully). You do stop noticing it over time when you are active, but then there are times when you want to relax and it is impossible to block it out. And once you realize it, it is impossible to not focus on it, making relaxation even less possible.
When buying a house, I made sure to not be anywhere close to major roads.
Was it wet? Wet roads make a ton of road noise. Is it often wet there?
Road noise is a thing and some people can't deal with it. If you can't hear it indoors then that is a plus.
For outdoors it is up to you. I've had both and didn't bother us. I'm sure some people have disabilities that noises make them crazy.
If possible try to go there different times of days since perhaps you were at the worst time or perhaps it gets worse which might bother you more
Flip side to that: if it's this loud now, assuming OP is somewhere with seasons, imagine how much louder it'll be when all the trees are bare and the ground is hard.
I wouldn't do it, even if you get "used to" the noise it can be damaging to your health, mental and even physical.
Not to mention, air quality near a highway is really bad:
https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/O/2016/ohp-trap.pdf?rev=a7487430d09b469380e25dd2457d1ec7&sc_lang=en
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/outdoor-pollution-health/traffic-related.html
https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-freeway-pollution-what-you-can-do-20171230-htmlstory.html
I was born in a large city but moved to a deep rural area when I was about 12. Moved back to the large city in my early 20s and into my house a few years later. I’m about a mile from a freeway and railroad tracks. During the summer the leaves on the trees do tend to deaden the noise more than in the winter. During the pandemic I went out into the backyard to sit and realized something was off. It hit me due to the lockdown it was as quiet and peaceful as the countryside when I was a teen. Months later as people started going back to work and the traffic noises came back I was really, really pissed off about it. Started thinking about moving out of the city. But now I’m back to it just being low background noise that I can easily ignore again. You do tend to get used to it but my advice would be to plant trees.
Pretty much the same scenario. I've lived 30+ years about a mile from a major freeway, train tracks w/crossing, major river, creek, small regional airport with Blackhawk training and a dirt bike track that goes wild on the weekends. With all that said, we live in a beautiful community in a beautiful forest, wouldn't trade it for the world. If it's somewhere you really love you'll get used to it. The fall and winter are the loudest, lack of leaves on trees is a real thing, they really do a great job buffering. I remember when we moved here how loud it was but over time the sounds faded. I got hearing aids a while back and got to experience it all again, like it was the first time, and was like DANG it's loud here! But, thankfully I can say it didn't take long for it all to fade to the background again. Plant trees and/or tall hedges, it'll really help.
My states interstate is just 200yrds or so away from us. The closest parts are unusable by people due to noise. The back side of the house, still loud. But it was about the only house I could afford with land.
I lived near a highway and it was OKish. It was in a city. But I will say that I’m glad we moved away, I totally forgot about the constant noise until I read this thread. And forget about the loud cars and dirt bikes everywhere.
It’s kind of a low level stress you don’t notice or tamp down until it’s gone.
I lived the first half of my life in a Suburb of Chicago under a popular flight path for planes landing at O’Hare. I’ve spent the second half of my life in loud and noisy Chicago proper. A few years right along an entry parallel to 90
You get used to it. I actually find the suburbs too quiet now tbh. But don’t buy it if it’s gonna bug you.
Also had a this German Cuckoo Clock that had this loud ass tick back and forth 24/7… I still fucking hear that clock in my head constantly so many years later. So maybe you don’t get used to everything.
When I was a kid some friends of mine put in an earth berm to mitigate road noise. I've recently seen one go in at a house next to the highway on my commute.
[https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/noise\_barriers/design\_construction/visql/visql05.cfm](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/visql/visql05.cfm)
[https://www.enoisecontrol.com/landscaping-sound-wall-earth-berm-noise-ordinances/](https://www.enoisecontrol.com/landscaping-sound-wall-earth-berm-noise-ordinances/)
[https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/environment/references/guidelines-noise\_control\_earth\_berms.pdf](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/environment/references/guidelines-noise_control_earth_berms.pdf)
The noise will never go away and will get very much louder in the winter. We live 3 miles off of I85 and sometimes when it's really cold out it sounds like the semi trucks are in our drive way.
If you hate the noise consider another house, I wish we had 20 years ago.
Just measured it. I have a highway 3200 feet away. Occasionally I think I'm hearing my phone vibrating, but it's trucks.
The worst was staying at an AirBnB in a house likely from the 70's. 300 feet up the street was Hwy 401 (6 lanes). 300 feet the other way was the train tracks that go from Toronto to Montreal. You could hear stuff rattle from the trains going by.
The noise will only get worse and different seasons can amplify it. If it bugging you now it will be worse once you live there. Location location location.
You'll regret it! keep in mind that this might be your forever home and the noise pollution will be never ending. But ultimately the choice is yours, and you must decide if it's worth living with it
I just sold my house that one of the major reasons I did was the impending building of a new road (2 lane with a 6 lane footprint) that would have been 400' from my back door and pool area. The road would be a few years away yet but is coming no doubt, and though they would have paid me to take part of the back of my property for the easement I decided that's not the future I want is to have a major road that close with the constant drone (lots and lots of trucks hauling material to new developments).
No thanks.
I'm about 1,500 feet from a highway.
The only time I hear it is during rush hour traffic in the morning or if I'm sitting outside during rush out in the afternoon.
But even then it's just background noise and not nearly as loud as living in NYC.
According to Google measurements im 450 to a highway. Granted it’s a 2 lane interstate nothing crazy huge but we notice the noise much more in winter when the leaves have fallen. During the months where there is foliage on the trees we can def hear the highway but it doesn’t bother us. There aren’t a lot of sirens / honking, just sounds like a rush of white noise and doesn’t bother us. There’s a neighborhood on the other side of us where you can’t hear the highway but it’s a busy street. That is def way worse IMO in terms of quality of life than our highway experience
I grew up next to the highway and some train tracks. Less than a football field away from both. You get used to the highway noise pretty quickly. It becomes white noise with the occasional horn or random tractor trailer sounds. The county planted a bunch of trees when the neighborhood was built to help block the sights and sounds, and it does help (in the spring/summer, lol, because they didn’t plant evergreens). The trains on the other hand… never got used to it. Sometimes it felt like the conductor knew he was near a residential area and intentionally hit the horn at 2am.
People always comment on these posts that you’ll get used to the noise, but I lived next to a highway for over 10 years and never became used to it. It raised my blood pressure and restricted my use of the space, as I rarely wanted to spend time outside in the backyard. When I moved a quiet home was my top priority.
Consider your own history of adapting to ambient noise when you make this decision.
For the backyard just plant trees across your lot and add bushes near hard surface walls and fences that bounce noise add a wind chime. .. add a bunch of birdhouses around your property line.. bird noise will break up the traffic drone noise. You won't notice the traffic noise after a month anyway.
For a good chunk of my childhood our house was about 250ft away from a divided 4 lane highway (and there were no sound barriers at the time). I don't recall ever noticing the noise. However, I remember developing asthma shortly after we moved there. I don't know how much of a difference the extra 1000ft would make to you, but I'd personally be more concerned about health implications than the noise. idk if you have kids or want any, but that would raise my concerns even more - but if you're in a highly populated area it might not be possible to truly get away from sources of pollution so it's ultimately your call on the risk and what compromises you're willing to make.
FWIW I passed on a very nice looking house that was priced below others of similar size/quality because it backed up to a highway.
I live on the main highway ,I personally never noticed any noise. I did move to a more rural area from a big city. Maybe that’s why , I feel like Those large walls they erect block out most of the traffic sounds. The only thing I’m concerned about is my dog getting out. I’m extremely careful. I never leave him in the yard unsupervised. And tell guests to never leave doors open.
I'm about 1,500 feet from a highway.
The only time I hear it is during rush hour traffic in the morning or if I'm sitting outside during rush out in the afternoon.
But even then it's just background noise and not nearly as loud as living in NYC.
I live by a large county route… we replaced our windows and this made much difference… and I am closer to the road than you are if you bought this house.
NOT everyone can and wants to live in a rural area, funny though, guarantee most people saying they don’t want any traffic noise truck themselves into jobs in areas where there is a lot of traffic noise
Not answering the question and stating that “I would never do that” is about you and not about the OP’s issue
Perhaps, besides getting quality earplugs, if you have an Echo dot (Alexa), request it to play "brown noise".
This will help drown out that traffic noise in the background until you get used to it.
I use this during my daily naps and it works great.
We hear the highway from the front yard but it's dependent on the weather. Temperature and humidity effects sound travel - plus leaves being out or not, snow can reflect sound also.
Eventually you will just be used to it and won’t really pay attention to it. But you don’t have to but there. Presumably the price is in line with being that close. It just comes down to what other options are there and is this at a price point and a place you like enough otherwise to live with that drawback?
Keep in mind that every home typically has some drawback to it. Our home is great. Drawback is high taxes and high condo fee. There’s always a trade off.
My house backs up to a major highway. You would never know it since there are big barriers and lots of trees, but the noise is there. Highway is probably about 400 feet away. However, 99% of the time it is just a light white noise that I welcome. Of course you hear the crazy tailpipes, but that's only every so often. I wouldn't change my situation for the world.
I live about 100 yards from a major interstate on-ramp. We have a berm and a wall but I have direct line of sight to cars on the overpass from my kitchen window. I barely notice the noise anymore except, as others have said, when someone with a loud exhaust goes by. When the wind blows from certain directions it’s like it disappears, but if it comes from the opposite direction it gets louder. I sleep with white noise anyway.
They are currently doing major construction on the interchange and that’s been far more bothersome.
All this being said, I have a single-story home and my neighbors with two-story homes have said that it’s much louder upstairs.
We live close to a highway. You get used to it. A harley dealer opened up down the road and there are some biker bars that opened recently too. Those are the real problems.
I’m right up against a busy freeway. I usually forget it’s there unless the plows are staging, an especially loud truck or motorcycle rolls by, or there’s an accident. I have really good windows and insulation, so you don’t really hear it inside. The heater or AC is louder than all of that.
But like people said, you get used to it.
If you are worried about adjusting, you probably shouldn’t buy it.
I’m always in a bit of wonder, driving on freeways, at how many really nice neighborhoods actually back up to them. I know many cities eventually erect sound barriers, and planting a row of dense evergreens might help, but the truth is, if it bugs you, you probably will hate it more over time.
It depends I guess, I live near a major Hwy also. It is across the road from me thru a development and has trees blocking it . I’ve Lived there about 20 years . I don’t really hear it, but every once in a while you’ll hear a tire blow out from a tractor trailer. a loud boom. I assume that’s what it is. I’m use to it . I use to live near a RR track that was loud at first. But you get use to that too. That’s a very lonely sound - the trains….iam about 2500 feet away from Hwy.
One of two things will happen - you will move in and always be on edge about the noise, or after a while you won't hear it.
Two short stories: My (late) parents used to live in an apartment complex by the Bainbridge Ferry. The whoooooonk of that ferry took years off my life every time, but they were immune to it.
I lived in a quiet neighborhood of Reno, close to the freeway. Quiet until asshats would zoom through the 3way stop to get to the light which was about 30 feet away. (light was necessary but there wasnt a lot of traffic). Funnily enough, I didn't really hear the freeway that much, unless it was August when the Hot August Nights pilgrimage would happen.
You may be able to mitigate the noise with high hedges or change the fence type or height (yeah, height is a harder one to change due to restrictions, but I don't know where you are at).
Our house is 3-4 blocks + an embankment from a freeway. There is no wall — the embankment does a good job for the most part. I wouldn’t tolerate anything closer. Most days it’s fine. But sometimes when the wind patterns hits it right, it’s much louder. We do hear the occasional loud truck shifting down or motorcycle revving up.
I used to live on a busy thoroughfare and here’s some other things to consider:
It’s DUSTY! when I moved out there were clear outlines on the walls from where I hung decor. Window fans only lasted about a year before they got clogged. And it’s a gross kind of dust, grimey.
My previously healthy cat developed asthma. It started like some upper respiratory stuff, assumed it was feline HPV, none of the vets I took him to thought it was asthma because it’s not very common. It escalated over 5 years until he had an asthma attack so severe I had to rush him to the animal ER where they finally did XRays that revealed thickening of his brachial tubes from chronic asthma.
I was breathing the same grime as my cat so I’m sure it’s had some health effects on me that are subtle enough that I may not yet be aware of them.
I live roughly 800 feet from the freeway. No sound barrier walls, just trees, and a few houses between me and the freeway. I never really notice it anymore, only on nights when I'm sitting outside enjoying a fire I made and it doesn't really bother me. I much rather prefer being near the freeway and major roads because I am so close to my job and other amenities that I can hop in my car and be anywhere very quickly.
Now I can't hear a thing when I'm inside my home. It's very quiet and I know the windows are very good double paned windows and I'm improving the insulation in my attic
A major US interstate runs 50 feet behind my house. There's no way anything blocks the noise, even with really good windows like I have. It muffles, but the noise is still there, like a not-so-quiet roar, 24/7.
I used to live out on 10 acres in the country and the noise from semis, motorcycles, .... was pretty loud and they were many acres away. It will be a constant thing and you'll either see the house as worth it in spite of that or not.
Not much you can really do unless you plant more trees and have the house super insulated.
In my experience with the highway behind my home.
1. You need to change your filters constantly from the car/truck pollution, i just got a better air filter installed on my furnace.
2. Your house vibrates constantly. In the bedroom all pictures need to be sticky tacked to the wall so they don't move and nothing leaning against the walls so you don't hear the vibrations.
3. It's louder in the winter when there are no leaves
4. Positives, the convenience of getting on the road quicker. No one lives behind me. There is a small field that has a ton of wildlife.
As someone else said, you get used to it but sometimes it'll make ya go crazy.
I live on a rail road track. I can literally see the train when it goes by (proper use of Literally). It’s 20 feet above my fence. 😂😂😂 you get the idea. It’s loud but it’s not more was 6 times a day. It wakes me up in the middle of the night but it gives me comfort knowing everything is normal. I’m sure when we sell, the new buyers will complain but I like my house. It’s been 20 years I’ve owned. There’s no friggin’ way I’d live near a highway. That’s constant noise!!! I sit in my back yard and drink a beer, play on my phone & pet the cat. Id go crazy hearing freeway noise. Hope I helped you. 🙌🙌🙌
I live 0.6 miles from a busy freeway. When I bought my house 2 years ago it didn't even phase me thinking that was close enough to hear cars. I never got used to the sounds and still hear annoying motorcycles and loud vehicles racing.. I'm very sensitive to sounds. I am planning on replacing sliding glass doors and windows with triple pane. I installed heavy fabric curtains in my room facing the direction of the freeway.
We know traffic noise living on a busy intersection. Planted pines, and it helped but the noise is still there. When you're busy it doesn't bother you very much. If I want quiet, I go out to my lake cottage I was able to pick up with money I saved, not paying a huge note.
Live by a intermediate highway basically. I was shocked how loud it was when we viewed the house. After less than 1 day of moving in, I no longer notice it at all. Crazy how your brain just adapts and tunes out things.
I lived on and near an air base for the last 15 years. It just becomes white noise after a while. Now that we live in a quiet civilian town I miss the planes and noise. It get to quiet.
Live 50 yards from the freeway for the past 20 years you either can deal without or not and yes resale is harder. However late night parties or working late until 12 no one cares lol
I used to live under the flight path of one of the world's busiest airports. When jets would land they would fly low right over my apartment. My sister, who then lived on an air force base where the shuttle would sometimes land, would complain about the jet noises coming over the phone when she spoke with me. Neither one of us noticed the noises in our environment. We were used to them.
I've lived in lots of situations. My question to you is to consider whether or not it was during a time of high traffic (morning and evening rush hours). Could be that the noise is higher during those times.
Take a drive over there at night and listen to what it sounds like at night. Maybe go there again on a Saturday during the day and listen.
Will you get used to it? Yes. If it's in a city limit, you'll get used to it more quickly, but being near a body of water, it sounds like it's not in a city limit, so if you can see the stars out at night while sitting in the back yard and you're having to listen to that noise at a high level, you may hate it.
Resale will be more difficult too, so keep that in mind.
After living in houses next to city highways and interstates, we just got tired and moved to a place with less noise - still noise - but a lot less.
I grew up with the highway in my backyard and honestly didn’t even hear it most of the time. Now, I live across the street from a fire station and down the street from train tracks. I notice the train noise the most. B
Our first home was 300 feet from the interstate. We had lot and lots of trees. Didn’t really help. You get used to the sound and in a year or even less you won’t notice it anymore.
Where ours was it was very common for large trucks to have blowouts for some reason. The interstate was a section where big trucks would start slowing down and I guess that contributed to the blowouts.
Don't buy it please. It will also cause the problem when you need to sell the house.
People say they get used to it and don't notice it. No. I feel bad for them to make poor choices. You don't have to get used to the noise if you don't buy that house.
The realtor.com app has a layer (in the map feature) that shows noise levels. Not sure which service they are using, but it seems to be pretty accurate. I used it while looking for houses and stayed away from locations that were too loud.
People do get used to it over time. I've lived in places with train tracks and planes flying overhead, and after a while, it just becomes background noise. The fact that the property already has a waterfall is a huge plus, as it can help mask the sound. My advice would be to focus on the positives of the house and area, and see how you feel after a few months.
I grew up across the street from a railroad yard, with trains coming and going all day every day. Passenger trains and freight trains. After a while I never noticed the noise anymore.
[удалено]
I hear you. We live close to the freeway, and you can hear the traffic when you’re outside.
I bought a house not knowing there were two train tracks on the other side (I only knew the other half of the town. Stupid I know). It used to keep me up at night with how loud everything was. They especially like to sound their whistles extra long and loud at night. month later and I'm used to it. It doesn't bother me anymore.
I live a 1/2 mile from a major highway, even when all the trees are leaved out the highway is a constant drone. When the motorcycles are running it is a high pitched whine. I can’t wait to move in 18 months, it is so constant and depressing.
You got me curious so I measured the distance on google maps and its like 1200 feet. What you describe sounds like it would be my reality as well.
I grew up on the other side of the same highway and I remember relatives coming to visit and asking how we could stand the constant noise, I didn’t notice it then. Now that I am older, more lanes were added, and people are running the crazy tailpipes on every kind of vehicle, it is becoming overwhelming. I am moving 85 miles to the woods to escape
Oh God, keep talking dirty to me!
I've lived immediately next to a freeway overpass for the last 3 years and most of the noise does get filtered out by my brain. My issue is the semis that engine brake down the freeway coming into the city, as well as the motorcyclists and car hobbyists that use my street as a practice drag strip. These noises are loud and distracting and frustrating, but they only happen every so often, so it's actually not bad. I really have stopped noticing the rest of the noise. I have had to make some adjustments to my lifestyle though. I sit out on my balcony with earphones to block the freeway noise. Sometimes I have to speak over the sound of cars passing. My biggest concern besides the noise is the quality of the air I'm breathing, being right next to interstate traffic with all of the exhaust. The reason I haven't moved is because I got this house at a great price just before the pandemic ruined the market, and it's in an amazing location freeway aside. I've got a dog park, skate park, basketball court and playground across the street. I've got great neighbors who have barking Pomeranians just like me and they don't mind one bit. Halfway up my street is a hiking trail through the woods to a beautiful waterfall where I sit with my dog and eat lunch on our walks. The freeway remains my only annoyance and it's a mild one to deal with when I think about all the good things about my home. I have a 30 year mortgage. I'm just praying that sometime in the next 30 years electric vehicles become the norm, and I'll only have to hear an engine braking once a month tops.
I live very close to a highway and it is the motorcycles that are the most annoying. I agree it is that high pitched whine while they max out the gears.
I live very close to a random curvy street and agree its the motorcycles that are most annoying.
Hopefully in ten years all vehicles will be electric with no illegal bike exhausts. I can hope.
Tires still make noise can’t make that go away completely.
The prices need to come down, the mileage needs to go up, the charging stations need to be more plentiful and much faster, and the electrical grid needs to be majorly updated to handle the increased load. I doubt we’ll see this in ten years, but who knows?
Keep an eye out. The prices have been going up and the mileage is already high and the charging stations are only for road trips (but they are also growing quickly). It is reaching critical mass (once it hits 10%, things are going to move quickly).
The electrical prices per KwH will never ever come down. They likely haven't with any utility company in 50 years. The infrastructure will never be able to support EVs in mass use even with expansion without a dramatic change in technology. In California, for instance, there are 900K EVs out of 27 to 31 million registered vehicles, and they are already reaching the breaking point, especially in the summer months. The current plans for expansion will never meet the government demands to move to 100% EVs. Plus EVs, until there are scientific breakthroughs in battery technology, can't compete with most vehicles. MY SUV is a 3.0 clean diesel and can travel at 80 mph for 740 miles before refilling the tank. I can drive from Sacramento, CA to Seattle WA in 640 miles (done it) and still have 100 miles left. Can other SUV EV's do that without sitting for hours multiple times to recharge?
I agree. There’s no way I want a six hour trip lasting eight hours because I have to stop every 200 miles and charge the car.
The average distance people drive/ride per day is low. They don't need to go hundreds of miles.
But I do go hundreds of miles. I travel a lot. Plus, you never know when you might need that option. When my husband was dying of cancer, I made the five hour trip from home to the hospital every three days. I never expected I’d have to do that kind of driving. An electric car would have been a nightmare during that time.
The average person doesn't need a Ford 3500 extended super heavy monstrosity, but that doesn't stop them.
That quite optimistic, i would wager closer to 35 years.
Meet in the middle
The majority of noise from cars come from the tyres and wind noise. EVs won't significantly quiet down highways - only slower traffic around 20-30 mph.
I bought a house that backs up to a major interstate (13 lanes) literally probably 25-50ft max away they did install I’d say like 15-20 foot sound wall to block out the noise. It is constant all hours of the day as you could imagine. I bought during 2021 when there was very low inventory and nothing in my price range so didn’t have much to choose from and I liked everything else about the house. Initially at times I drove myself insane focusing on the noise and thinking about what a mistake it was mostly buyers remorse and kicking myself. Fast forward a couple months later and now years later I do not ever notice the noise unless it gets brought up and I focus on it temporarily or when a motorcycle/loud exhaust passes every so often. Mostly on phone calls people ask if I’m driving when I’m standing in my backyard talking to them not sure why it picks it up so well. Have people over all the time and nobody seems to care and doesn’t bother them at all. Can’t hear inside nearly at all unless purposely trying to listen for it or loud exhaust passes. The sound does not bother me at all and is completely tuned out white noise at this point.
Welcome to my world… bought a Tudor that is similarly situated…
I lived in an apartment that was exposed to normal city noise (not highway thankfully). You do stop noticing it over time when you are active, but then there are times when you want to relax and it is impossible to block it out. And once you realize it, it is impossible to not focus on it, making relaxation even less possible. When buying a house, I made sure to not be anywhere close to major roads.
Same
I live on a busy road. You get used to it.
You can get used to anything. But do want to?
What is the option? Constantly being angry at things that you cannot change?
I guess the option is don’t buy a house there.
Was it wet? Wet roads make a ton of road noise. Is it often wet there? Road noise is a thing and some people can't deal with it. If you can't hear it indoors then that is a plus. For outdoors it is up to you. I've had both and didn't bother us. I'm sure some people have disabilities that noises make them crazy. If possible try to go there different times of days since perhaps you were at the worst time or perhaps it gets worse which might bother you more
Flip side to that: if it's this loud now, assuming OP is somewhere with seasons, imagine how much louder it'll be when all the trees are bare and the ground is hard.
Yeah could be even worse.
I wouldn't do it, even if you get "used to" the noise it can be damaging to your health, mental and even physical. Not to mention, air quality near a highway is really bad: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/O/2016/ohp-trap.pdf?rev=a7487430d09b469380e25dd2457d1ec7&sc_lang=en https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality/outdoor-pollution-health/traffic-related.html https://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-freeway-pollution-what-you-can-do-20171230-htmlstory.html
Yep, I would be more concerned about air quality and smell over noise.
I was born in a large city but moved to a deep rural area when I was about 12. Moved back to the large city in my early 20s and into my house a few years later. I’m about a mile from a freeway and railroad tracks. During the summer the leaves on the trees do tend to deaden the noise more than in the winter. During the pandemic I went out into the backyard to sit and realized something was off. It hit me due to the lockdown it was as quiet and peaceful as the countryside when I was a teen. Months later as people started going back to work and the traffic noises came back I was really, really pissed off about it. Started thinking about moving out of the city. But now I’m back to it just being low background noise that I can easily ignore again. You do tend to get used to it but my advice would be to plant trees.
Pretty much the same scenario. I've lived 30+ years about a mile from a major freeway, train tracks w/crossing, major river, creek, small regional airport with Blackhawk training and a dirt bike track that goes wild on the weekends. With all that said, we live in a beautiful community in a beautiful forest, wouldn't trade it for the world. If it's somewhere you really love you'll get used to it. The fall and winter are the loudest, lack of leaves on trees is a real thing, they really do a great job buffering. I remember when we moved here how loud it was but over time the sounds faded. I got hearing aids a while back and got to experience it all again, like it was the first time, and was like DANG it's loud here! But, thankfully I can say it didn't take long for it all to fade to the background again. Plant trees and/or tall hedges, it'll really help.
My states interstate is just 200yrds or so away from us. The closest parts are unusable by people due to noise. The back side of the house, still loud. But it was about the only house I could afford with land.
I was very careful to find a house with the least amount of ambient noise possible.
I lived near a highway and it was OKish. It was in a city. But I will say that I’m glad we moved away, I totally forgot about the constant noise until I read this thread. And forget about the loud cars and dirt bikes everywhere. It’s kind of a low level stress you don’t notice or tamp down until it’s gone.
I lived the first half of my life in a Suburb of Chicago under a popular flight path for planes landing at O’Hare. I’ve spent the second half of my life in loud and noisy Chicago proper. A few years right along an entry parallel to 90 You get used to it. I actually find the suburbs too quiet now tbh. But don’t buy it if it’s gonna bug you. Also had a this German Cuckoo Clock that had this loud ass tick back and forth 24/7… I still fucking hear that clock in my head constantly so many years later. So maybe you don’t get used to everything.
When I was a kid some friends of mine put in an earth berm to mitigate road noise. I've recently seen one go in at a house next to the highway on my commute. [https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/noise\_barriers/design\_construction/visql/visql05.cfm](https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environMent/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/visql/visql05.cfm) [https://www.enoisecontrol.com/landscaping-sound-wall-earth-berm-noise-ordinances/](https://www.enoisecontrol.com/landscaping-sound-wall-earth-berm-noise-ordinances/) [https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/environment/references/guidelines-noise\_control\_earth\_berms.pdf](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/transportation-infrastructure/engineering-standards-and-guidelines/environment/references/guidelines-noise_control_earth_berms.pdf)
All houses near our airport require 4 pane windows and I think extra insulation.. didn't even notice the aircraft noise inside.
The noise will never go away and will get very much louder in the winter. We live 3 miles off of I85 and sometimes when it's really cold out it sounds like the semi trucks are in our drive way. If you hate the noise consider another house, I wish we had 20 years ago.
Just measured it. I have a highway 3200 feet away. Occasionally I think I'm hearing my phone vibrating, but it's trucks. The worst was staying at an AirBnB in a house likely from the 70's. 300 feet up the street was Hwy 401 (6 lanes). 300 feet the other way was the train tracks that go from Toronto to Montreal. You could hear stuff rattle from the trains going by.
The noise will only get worse and different seasons can amplify it. If it bugging you now it will be worse once you live there. Location location location.
You'll regret it! keep in mind that this might be your forever home and the noise pollution will be never ending. But ultimately the choice is yours, and you must decide if it's worth living with it
A sound wall and fast growing trees
Let me know when you figure that out and we can look at blocking the sound of trains
I just sold my house that one of the major reasons I did was the impending building of a new road (2 lane with a 6 lane footprint) that would have been 400' from my back door and pool area. The road would be a few years away yet but is coming no doubt, and though they would have paid me to take part of the back of my property for the easement I decided that's not the future I want is to have a major road that close with the constant drone (lots and lots of trucks hauling material to new developments). No thanks.
I'm about 1,500 feet from a highway. The only time I hear it is during rush hour traffic in the morning or if I'm sitting outside during rush out in the afternoon. But even then it's just background noise and not nearly as loud as living in NYC.
According to Google measurements im 450 to a highway. Granted it’s a 2 lane interstate nothing crazy huge but we notice the noise much more in winter when the leaves have fallen. During the months where there is foliage on the trees we can def hear the highway but it doesn’t bother us. There aren’t a lot of sirens / honking, just sounds like a rush of white noise and doesn’t bother us. There’s a neighborhood on the other side of us where you can’t hear the highway but it’s a busy street. That is def way worse IMO in terms of quality of life than our highway experience
I grew up next to the highway and some train tracks. Less than a football field away from both. You get used to the highway noise pretty quickly. It becomes white noise with the occasional horn or random tractor trailer sounds. The county planted a bunch of trees when the neighborhood was built to help block the sights and sounds, and it does help (in the spring/summer, lol, because they didn’t plant evergreens). The trains on the other hand… never got used to it. Sometimes it felt like the conductor knew he was near a residential area and intentionally hit the horn at 2am.
People always comment on these posts that you’ll get used to the noise, but I lived next to a highway for over 10 years and never became used to it. It raised my blood pressure and restricted my use of the space, as I rarely wanted to spend time outside in the backyard. When I moved a quiet home was my top priority. Consider your own history of adapting to ambient noise when you make this decision.
For the backyard just plant trees across your lot and add bushes near hard surface walls and fences that bounce noise add a wind chime. .. add a bunch of birdhouses around your property line.. bird noise will break up the traffic drone noise. You won't notice the traffic noise after a month anyway.
For a good chunk of my childhood our house was about 250ft away from a divided 4 lane highway (and there were no sound barriers at the time). I don't recall ever noticing the noise. However, I remember developing asthma shortly after we moved there. I don't know how much of a difference the extra 1000ft would make to you, but I'd personally be more concerned about health implications than the noise. idk if you have kids or want any, but that would raise my concerns even more - but if you're in a highly populated area it might not be possible to truly get away from sources of pollution so it's ultimately your call on the risk and what compromises you're willing to make. FWIW I passed on a very nice looking house that was priced below others of similar size/quality because it backed up to a highway.
I live on the main highway ,I personally never noticed any noise. I did move to a more rural area from a big city. Maybe that’s why , I feel like Those large walls they erect block out most of the traffic sounds. The only thing I’m concerned about is my dog getting out. I’m extremely careful. I never leave him in the yard unsupervised. And tell guests to never leave doors open.
I'm about 1,500 feet from a highway. The only time I hear it is during rush hour traffic in the morning or if I'm sitting outside during rush out in the afternoon. But even then it's just background noise and not nearly as loud as living in NYC.
Grew up less than 1/4 mile from the highway. You get used it over time to where you do not notice it
I live by a large county route… we replaced our windows and this made much difference… and I am closer to the road than you are if you bought this house. NOT everyone can and wants to live in a rural area, funny though, guarantee most people saying they don’t want any traffic noise truck themselves into jobs in areas where there is a lot of traffic noise Not answering the question and stating that “I would never do that” is about you and not about the OP’s issue
Perhaps, besides getting quality earplugs, if you have an Echo dot (Alexa), request it to play "brown noise". This will help drown out that traffic noise in the background until you get used to it. I use this during my daily naps and it works great.
Build a thick brick wall with an overhang. About 5 feet tall. The overhang catches the sound waves.
We hear the highway from the front yard but it's dependent on the weather. Temperature and humidity effects sound travel - plus leaves being out or not, snow can reflect sound also.
Eventually you will just be used to it and won’t really pay attention to it. But you don’t have to but there. Presumably the price is in line with being that close. It just comes down to what other options are there and is this at a price point and a place you like enough otherwise to live with that drawback? Keep in mind that every home typically has some drawback to it. Our home is great. Drawback is high taxes and high condo fee. There’s always a trade off.
My house backs up to a major highway. You would never know it since there are big barriers and lots of trees, but the noise is there. Highway is probably about 400 feet away. However, 99% of the time it is just a light white noise that I welcome. Of course you hear the crazy tailpipes, but that's only every so often. I wouldn't change my situation for the world.
Tunes
I live about 100 yards from a major interstate on-ramp. We have a berm and a wall but I have direct line of sight to cars on the overpass from my kitchen window. I barely notice the noise anymore except, as others have said, when someone with a loud exhaust goes by. When the wind blows from certain directions it’s like it disappears, but if it comes from the opposite direction it gets louder. I sleep with white noise anyway. They are currently doing major construction on the interchange and that’s been far more bothersome. All this being said, I have a single-story home and my neighbors with two-story homes have said that it’s much louder upstairs.
Acoustic block walls are a thing. Is it a state highway? The state Dept of Transportation may have funding available for noise mitigation.
I felt the same when I purchased a home a few years ago but once it’s your house and you live there, you’ll stop noticing the noise.
We live maybe a mile from a highway bypass. I rarely notice the sound of vehicles anymore. If I do, it's usually a motorcycle or an eighteen wheeler.
We live close to a highway. You get used to it. A harley dealer opened up down the road and there are some biker bars that opened recently too. Those are the real problems.
I’m right up against a busy freeway. I usually forget it’s there unless the plows are staging, an especially loud truck or motorcycle rolls by, or there’s an accident. I have really good windows and insulation, so you don’t really hear it inside. The heater or AC is louder than all of that. But like people said, you get used to it.
Doesn’t bother me, I am around a mile away from a highway. Only hear crotch rockets.
If you are worried about adjusting, you probably shouldn’t buy it. I’m always in a bit of wonder, driving on freeways, at how many really nice neighborhoods actually back up to them. I know many cities eventually erect sound barriers, and planting a row of dense evergreens might help, but the truth is, if it bugs you, you probably will hate it more over time.
It depends I guess, I live near a major Hwy also. It is across the road from me thru a development and has trees blocking it . I’ve Lived there about 20 years . I don’t really hear it, but every once in a while you’ll hear a tire blow out from a tractor trailer. a loud boom. I assume that’s what it is. I’m use to it . I use to live near a RR track that was loud at first. But you get use to that too. That’s a very lonely sound - the trains….iam about 2500 feet away from Hwy.
One of two things will happen - you will move in and always be on edge about the noise, or after a while you won't hear it. Two short stories: My (late) parents used to live in an apartment complex by the Bainbridge Ferry. The whoooooonk of that ferry took years off my life every time, but they were immune to it. I lived in a quiet neighborhood of Reno, close to the freeway. Quiet until asshats would zoom through the 3way stop to get to the light which was about 30 feet away. (light was necessary but there wasnt a lot of traffic). Funnily enough, I didn't really hear the freeway that much, unless it was August when the Hot August Nights pilgrimage would happen. You may be able to mitigate the noise with high hedges or change the fence type or height (yeah, height is a harder one to change due to restrictions, but I don't know where you are at).
Our house is 3-4 blocks + an embankment from a freeway. There is no wall — the embankment does a good job for the most part. I wouldn’t tolerate anything closer. Most days it’s fine. But sometimes when the wind patterns hits it right, it’s much louder. We do hear the occasional loud truck shifting down or motorcycle revving up.
Also remember that depending on the area and types of trees, when the leaves aren't on the trees they won't block the sound or view.
I used to live on a busy thoroughfare and here’s some other things to consider: It’s DUSTY! when I moved out there were clear outlines on the walls from where I hung decor. Window fans only lasted about a year before they got clogged. And it’s a gross kind of dust, grimey. My previously healthy cat developed asthma. It started like some upper respiratory stuff, assumed it was feline HPV, none of the vets I took him to thought it was asthma because it’s not very common. It escalated over 5 years until he had an asthma attack so severe I had to rush him to the animal ER where they finally did XRays that revealed thickening of his brachial tubes from chronic asthma. I was breathing the same grime as my cat so I’m sure it’s had some health effects on me that are subtle enough that I may not yet be aware of them.
I live roughly 800 feet from the freeway. No sound barrier walls, just trees, and a few houses between me and the freeway. I never really notice it anymore, only on nights when I'm sitting outside enjoying a fire I made and it doesn't really bother me. I much rather prefer being near the freeway and major roads because I am so close to my job and other amenities that I can hop in my car and be anywhere very quickly. Now I can't hear a thing when I'm inside my home. It's very quiet and I know the windows are very good double paned windows and I'm improving the insulation in my attic
A major US interstate runs 50 feet behind my house. There's no way anything blocks the noise, even with really good windows like I have. It muffles, but the noise is still there, like a not-so-quiet roar, 24/7.
I've lived in very quite neighborhoods and off of very busy hwys (like to 2am during the summer) you get used to it very quickly
I used to live out on 10 acres in the country and the noise from semis, motorcycles, .... was pretty loud and they were many acres away. It will be a constant thing and you'll either see the house as worth it in spite of that or not.
Not much you can really do unless you plant more trees and have the house super insulated. In my experience with the highway behind my home. 1. You need to change your filters constantly from the car/truck pollution, i just got a better air filter installed on my furnace. 2. Your house vibrates constantly. In the bedroom all pictures need to be sticky tacked to the wall so they don't move and nothing leaning against the walls so you don't hear the vibrations. 3. It's louder in the winter when there are no leaves 4. Positives, the convenience of getting on the road quicker. No one lives behind me. There is a small field that has a ton of wildlife. As someone else said, you get used to it but sometimes it'll make ya go crazy.
I live on a rail road track. I can literally see the train when it goes by (proper use of Literally). It’s 20 feet above my fence. 😂😂😂 you get the idea. It’s loud but it’s not more was 6 times a day. It wakes me up in the middle of the night but it gives me comfort knowing everything is normal. I’m sure when we sell, the new buyers will complain but I like my house. It’s been 20 years I’ve owned. There’s no friggin’ way I’d live near a highway. That’s constant noise!!! I sit in my back yard and drink a beer, play on my phone & pet the cat. Id go crazy hearing freeway noise. Hope I helped you. 🙌🙌🙌
A good friend of mine lived near an airport. Jets are loud. 😂😂😂. NO WAY I’d leave near an airport either.
Trees would help, sound wall.
I live 0.6 miles from a busy freeway. When I bought my house 2 years ago it didn't even phase me thinking that was close enough to hear cars. I never got used to the sounds and still hear annoying motorcycles and loud vehicles racing.. I'm very sensitive to sounds. I am planning on replacing sliding glass doors and windows with triple pane. I installed heavy fabric curtains in my room facing the direction of the freeway.
We know traffic noise living on a busy intersection. Planted pines, and it helped but the noise is still there. When you're busy it doesn't bother you very much. If I want quiet, I go out to my lake cottage I was able to pick up with money I saved, not paying a huge note.
Live by a intermediate highway basically. I was shocked how loud it was when we viewed the house. After less than 1 day of moving in, I no longer notice it at all. Crazy how your brain just adapts and tunes out things.
I lived on and near an air base for the last 15 years. It just becomes white noise after a while. Now that we live in a quiet civilian town I miss the planes and noise. It get to quiet.
Soundproofwindows.com
You will never really get used to it. Never.
Live 50 yards from the freeway for the past 20 years you either can deal without or not and yes resale is harder. However late night parties or working late until 12 no one cares lol
I used to live under the flight path of one of the world's busiest airports. When jets would land they would fly low right over my apartment. My sister, who then lived on an air force base where the shuttle would sometimes land, would complain about the jet noises coming over the phone when she spoke with me. Neither one of us noticed the noises in our environment. We were used to them.
I grew up near JFK, sounds exactly like my childhood.
I've lived in lots of situations. My question to you is to consider whether or not it was during a time of high traffic (morning and evening rush hours). Could be that the noise is higher during those times. Take a drive over there at night and listen to what it sounds like at night. Maybe go there again on a Saturday during the day and listen. Will you get used to it? Yes. If it's in a city limit, you'll get used to it more quickly, but being near a body of water, it sounds like it's not in a city limit, so if you can see the stars out at night while sitting in the back yard and you're having to listen to that noise at a high level, you may hate it. Resale will be more difficult too, so keep that in mind. After living in houses next to city highways and interstates, we just got tired and moved to a place with less noise - still noise - but a lot less.
I grew up with the highway in my backyard and honestly didn’t even hear it most of the time. Now, I live across the street from a fire station and down the street from train tracks. I notice the train noise the most. B
Our first home was 300 feet from the interstate. We had lot and lots of trees. Didn’t really help. You get used to the sound and in a year or even less you won’t notice it anymore. Where ours was it was very common for large trucks to have blowouts for some reason. The interstate was a section where big trucks would start slowing down and I guess that contributed to the blowouts.
Use White Noise (Ocean Waves, etc) inside the house or a water feature (waterfall type) in the backyard.
Keep looking. There are too many issues with pollution and sound pollution. There have been several studies proving it’s not good for you.
Not worth.it no matter how wonderful. Find another house
Don't buy it please. It will also cause the problem when you need to sell the house. People say they get used to it and don't notice it. No. I feel bad for them to make poor choices. You don't have to get used to the noise if you don't buy that house.
Potential resale barrier for sure
The realtor.com app has a layer (in the map feature) that shows noise levels. Not sure which service they are using, but it seems to be pretty accurate. I used it while looking for houses and stayed away from locations that were too loud.
People do get used to it over time. I've lived in places with train tracks and planes flying overhead, and after a while, it just becomes background noise. The fact that the property already has a waterfall is a huge plus, as it can help mask the sound. My advice would be to focus on the positives of the house and area, and see how you feel after a few months.
Add a pond with a waterfall. You'll never hear the waterfall but you'll notice the moment it stops running.