Greensboro noise map: where the city is loudest

Greensboro's 65 census tracts span the full range of the federal noise map. Of its 256,593 residents, 3.7% 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 damaging hearing. A further 20.4% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. Overall the city ranks #210 of 297, below the national median — quieter than most big US cities.

Among North Carolina's 9 cities of 100,000+ residents, Greensboro is the 8th-loudest. Nationally it sits just below Fargo, ND (#209) and just above Killeen, TX (#211).

On the map, green tracts are the quietest and red tracts the loudest, with each colored by the share of its own residents above 60 dB — so you can see exactly which parts of Greensboro carry the noise. The loudest tracts track the city's busiest road, rail and flight corridors. These are measured values from the US DOT's 2020 National Transportation Noise Map paired with Census population, aggregated to tracts by the University of Washington — real data per tract, no interpolation and no estimate.

Greensboro noise: the specifics

• Ranks #210 of 297 US cities (100k+ pop) by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
• 3.7% of Greensboro's 256,593 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
• 0.9% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 20.4% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
• Computed across 65 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
• 3.7% of residents above 60 dB ranks #210 of 297 US cities — see the full measured ranking.