Living Near a Highway

When choosing where to live, most people focus on price, commute time, and neighborhood feel. Proximity to major highways is another factor that often comes up — especially for people thinking about long-term air quality.

Highways can contribute to localized air pollution due to constant vehicle traffic, particularly in areas with heavy congestion or high truck volume. Understanding how close a home is to major roadways can provide helpful context when comparing locations.

How highways can affect air quality

Vehicles release pollutants such as fine particulate matter and nitrogen-based gases. These pollutants tend to be more concentrated closer to busy roadways and generally decrease as distance increases.

Because traffic patterns are consistent over time, proximity to highways can play a role in long-term differences in air quality between neighborhoods — particularly in dense or urban areas.

How close is considered “near” a highway?

There is no single distance that applies everywhere. In general, pollution levels are often highest within several hundred meters of major highways and gradually decline farther away.

Actual impact can vary based on traffic volume, elevation, wind patterns, and physical barriers such as buildings, trees, or terrain.

Why this matters when comparing locations

Living near a highway does not automatically mean an area is unsafe or unhealthy. Many desirable neighborhoods are located close to major roadways.

However, understanding highway proximity can be useful when comparing multiple addresses — especially alongside other long-term environmental factors such as regional air quality trends and nearby pollution sources.

How AirScore evaluates highway proximity

AirScore looks at how close an address is to major highways and considers this alongside publicly available air quality data and other nearby environmental factors.

Rather than focusing on a single data point, AirScore is designed to provide a broader picture so locations can be compared more clearly.