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The loudest cities in Illinois, ranked by noise exposure
Illinois has 6 cities of 100,000+ residents in the federal transportation-noise ranking. The loudest is Chicago, where 11% of residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day road, rail and aviation noise; the median Illinois city exposes 4.1% to that level.
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| Illinois # | City | US # | ≥60 dB | ≥70 dB | 45–60 dB | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | 9 | 11% | 1.7% | 83.4% | 2,698,334 |
| 2 | Joliet | 113 | 5.1% | 0.8% | 40.2% | 149,722 |
| 3 | Naperville | 172 | 4.3% | 0.6% | 23.7% | 113,236 |
| 4 | Aurora | 206 | 3.8% | 0.6% | 31.4% | 192,740 |
| 5 | Rockford | 218 | 3.6% | 0.2% | 31.5% | 136,002 |
| 6 | Peoria | 226 | 3.4% | 0.5% | 16.7% | 101,938 |
Illinois's 6 ranked cities house 3,391,972 residents. Loudest first, by share of residents above 60 dB: Chicago (11%), Joliet (5.1%), Naperville (4.3%), Aurora (3.8%), Rockford (3.6%), Peoria (3.4%) — down to Peoria at 3.4%. The median city exposes 4.1%, and 1 of 6 clears the 10% mark. The hardest-hit on the severe 70 dB+ band is Chicago (1.7% of residents); the most populous, Chicago at 2,698,334 residents, lands #9 in the national table with 11% above 60 dB. Behind Chicago's headline 11%, 1.7% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 83.4% 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 Illinois city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.
Which Illinois cities are the noisiest?
By this federal data the noisiest Illinois cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: Chicago, Joliet, Naperville top the list, led by Chicago at 11%. The full ranking is in the table above.
Illinois noise: the numbers
- 6 Illinois cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 11th-most of any state.
- Loudest: Chicago at 11% of residents above 60 dB (national #9 of 297).
- Highest severe exposure: Chicago, 1.7% of residents above 70 dB.
- Median Illinois city: 4.1% above 60 dB; 1 of 6 clear 10%.
- Combined population of the 6: 3,391,972 (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.