Traffic noise poses signifi cant hazards to urban spaces, with residential areas along expressways being among the most severely aff ected zones. The transmission of noise within these communities, combined with other sound sources, forms the acoustic environment of residential areas. This study selects two neighborhoods along Shanghai’s Inner-Ring Expressway as control groups and focuses on investigating how the spatial characteristics of open spaces infl uence the distribution of acoustic environments. Through micro and medium-scale approaches, the research proposes two types of variables: breadth indicators and compositional indicators, enabling multi-dimensional quantifi cation of open space morphology in residential areas. Through the soundwalk experiment, the regression model of acoustic environment quality evaluation was constructed to calculate and study the acoustic environment evaluation results of all spatial points in the residential area in an all-around way, and the correlation analysis and geographically weighted regression analysis were carried out with the morphological elements of open space in the residential area. Research reveals that spatial elements in open spaces primarily infl uence the distribution of the acoustic environment through two mechanisms: blocking traffi c noise and enhancing positive sound sources. These eff ects show signifi cant variation across residential areas, with the weighting of individual elements demonstrating spatial heterogeneity in the impacts on acoustic quality. Generally, the breadth indicators have the same eff ect across diff erent spatial regions, diff ering only in weight level. In contrast, the compositional indicators have the opposite eff ect at the residential boundary or center. Building on the exploration of spatial and acoustic environmental interactions, this study employs an acoustic environment evaluation model to refl ect residents’ subjective perceptions. By focusing on residential spatial layout optimization, the fi ndings provide scientifi c guidance for improving acoustic environments in urban communities.