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South Williamsburg noise map: how loud is it?
South Williamsburg sits in the middle of New York's noise range: 9.2% of residents face 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise — road, rail and aviation combined — ranking it 56th of 197 New York neighborhoods. Zoom the map below to see which blocks run loud and which stay calm.
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| Rank in New York (of 197 neighborhoods) | #56 |
|---|---|
| Residents above 60 dB | 9.2% |
| Residents above 70 dB | 3.6% |
| Residents in the 45–60 dB band | 74.1% |
| Residents (ACS 2016–2020, area-weighted) | 45,707 |
| Census tracts mapped | 17 |
South Williamsburg is home to about 45,707 residents across 17 census tracts. 9.2% of them are exposed to 60 dB or more of average-day road, rail and aviation noise. Within that, 3.6% face the most severe band — 70 dB or louder, the level at which sustained exposure starts to threaten hearing. A further 74.1% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. That ranks South Williamsburg #56 of 197 New York neighborhoods, louder than most New York neighborhoods. Among New York neighborhoods it sits just below Chelsea-Hudson Yards (#55) and just above Baisley Park (#57).
Exposure across South Williamsburg is a patchwork. The streets that back onto a freeway, rail line or flight path carry most of the 9.2%, while interior blocks a few hundred feet away can sit 15 to 25 dB quieter. The map makes that split easy to see.
South Williamsburg noise: the specifics
- Ranks #56 of 197 New York neighborhoods by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
- 9.2% of South Williamsburg's ~45,707 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
- 3.6% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 74.1% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
- Area-weighted across 17 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
- #56 of 197 — see the full New York ranking.
What share of South Williamsburg residents are exposed to 60 dB or louder transportation noise?
9.2% of South Williamsburg residents live with average-day transportation noise (road, rail and aviation) at or above 60 dB, and 3.6% are above 70 dB — ranking South Williamsburg #56 of 197 New York neighborhoods by noise exposure.
How South Williamsburg 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 New York Times boundary for South Williamsburg. 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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