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The loudest cities in Florida, ranked by noise exposure

25 Florida cities make the measured federal noise ranking — the 3rd-most of any state. West Palm Beach leads with 7.6% of residents above 60 dB of road, rail and aviation noise, while half the state's ranked cities fall at or below 4.2%.

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Florida cities of 100,000+ residents, ranked by share exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise (BTS 2020 × ACS 2016–2020)
Florida # City US # ≥60 dB ≥70 dB 45–60 dB Population
1 West Palm Beach 41 7.6% 1.8% 49.1% 105,582
2 Pompano Beach 42 7.6% 2.2% 84.6% 109,495
3 Miami 45 7.5% 1.5% 79.9% 461,675
4 Hialeah 54 6.9% 1.9% 41.9% 230,853
5 Davie 64 6.4% 2.4% 47.5% 105,075
6 Fort Lauderdale 68 6.2% 1.6% 47.5% 176,299
7 Miramar 79 6% 1.9% 14% 140,713
8 Miami Gardens 95 5.6% 1.7% 48% 107,344
9 Orlando 110 5.2% 1.5% 52.5% 284,419
10 Jacksonville 126 4.9% 1.1% 65.3% 903,707
11 Hollywood 138 4.7% 1% 27.8% 147,929
12 Tampa 170 4.3% 1.1% 18.3% 392,381
13 Lakeland 175 4.2% 1.3% 24% 108,753
14 Brandon 193 4% 1.7% 11.7% 115,909
15 Gainesville 202 3.9% 0.6% 15.2% 128,199
16 Pembroke Pines 219 3.6% 1.2% 11.3% 168,678
17 Coral Springs 222 3.5% 0.8% 12.6% 130,386
18 Port St. Lucie 228 3.4% 1% 10.1% 187,990
19 Tallahassee 251 3.1% 0.5% 15.7% 180,943
20 Clearwater 256 3% 0.7% 16.3% 101,685
21 St. Petersburg 277 2.2% 0.6% 12.3% 265,946
22 Spring Hill 289 1.8% 0.5% 15.9% 107,049
23 Palm Bay 291 1.8% 0.4% 7.7% 113,208
24 Cape Coral 295 1.5% 0.4% 7.2% 181,410
25 Lehigh Acres 297 0.5% 0.1% 13.3% 122,290

Florida's 25 ranked cities are home to 5,077,918 residents. By share above 60 dB the field reads West Palm Beach (7.6%), Pompano Beach (7.6%), Miami (7.5%), Hialeah (6.9%), Davie (6.4%), Fort Lauderdale (6.2%), Miramar (6%), Miami Gardens (5.6%), then 17 more, ending at Lehigh Acres (0.5%). The median lands at 4.2%, and 0 of 25 sit above the 10% line. Davie carries the state's worst severe exposure — 2.4% of residents above 70 dB, the hearing-risk threshold — while Jacksonville, the largest at 903,707 people, ranks #126 nationally at 4.9%. Behind West Palm Beach's headline 7.6%, 1.8% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 49.1% in the moderate 45–60 dB range.

The numbers come straight from the 2020 federal noise model and Census counts at census-tract level — transportation sources only, so construction and nightlife are invisible here. Open any Florida city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.

Which Florida cities are the noisiest?

By this federal data the noisiest Florida cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: West Palm Beach, Pompano Beach, Miami top the list, led by West Palm Beach at 7.6%. The full ranking is in the table above.

Florida noise: the numbers

  • 25 Florida cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 3rd-most of any state.
  • Loudest: West Palm Beach at 7.6% of residents above 60 dB (national #41 of 297).
  • Highest severe exposure: Davie, 2.4% of residents above 70 dB.
  • Median Florida city: 4.2% above 60 dB; 0 of 25 clear 10%.
  • Combined population of the 25: 5,077,918 (ACS 2016–2020).

How this ranking is measured

These are the same federal measurements behind the national ranking of all 297 US cities — the BTS 2020 National Transportation Noise Map (road + rail + aviation) overlaid with Census ACS 2016–2020 population at census-tract level, with no estimation by us. Full methodology and the free CSV/JSON are on that page. It counts transportation noise only: sirens, construction and nightlife are outside the model.

How loud is your street?

Rankings describe city averages — your block is its own story. Check it with the free online decibel meter, or open any city above for its full census-tract noise map.

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