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North Center noise map: how loud is it?
North Center sits in the middle of Chicago's noise range: 12.1% of residents face 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise — road, rail and aviation combined — ranking it 26th of 77 Chicago neighborhoods. Zoom the map below to see which blocks run loud and which stay calm.
Last updated:
| Rank in Chicago (of 77 neighborhoods) | #26 |
|---|---|
| Residents above 60 dB | 12.1% |
| Residents above 70 dB | 0.9% |
| Residents in the 45–60 dB band | 71% |
| Residents (ACS 2016–2020, area-weighted) | 36,209 |
| Census tracts mapped | 29 |
North Center is home to about 36,209 residents across 29 census tracts. 12.1% of them are exposed to 60 dB or more of average-day road, rail and aviation noise. Within that, 0.9% face the most severe band — 70 dB or louder, the level at which sustained exposure starts to threaten hearing. A further 71% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. That ranks North Center #26 of 77 Chicago neighborhoods, louder than most Chicago neighborhoods. Among Chicago neighborhoods it sits just below Chatham (#25) and just above South Lawndale (#27).
Exposure across North Center is a patchwork. The streets that back onto a freeway, rail line or flight path carry most of the 12.1%, while interior blocks a few hundred feet away can sit 15 to 25 dB quieter. The map makes that split easy to see.
North Center noise: the specifics
- Ranks #26 of 77 Chicago neighborhoods by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
- 12.1% of North Center's ~36,209 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
- 0.9% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 71% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
- Area-weighted across 29 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
- #26 of 77 — see the full Chicago ranking.
What share of North Center residents are exposed to 60 dB or louder transportation noise?
12.1% of North Center residents live with average-day transportation noise (road, rail and aviation) at or above 60 dB, and 0.9% are above 70 dB — ranking North Center #26 of 77 Chicago neighborhoods by noise exposure.
How North Center 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 Chicago Times boundary for North Center. 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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