The loudest cities in Louisiana, ranked by noise exposure

Louisiana's 5 ranked cities are home to 1,012,675 residents. By share above 60 dB the field reads Metairie (4.6%), Shreveport (4.3%), New Orleans (4.1%), Baton Rouge (3.5%), Lafayette (3.2%), ending at Lafayette (3.2%). The median lands at 4.1%, and 0 of 5 sit above the 10% line. Metairie carries the state's worst severe exposure — 1.2% of residents above 70 dB, the hearing-risk threshold — while New Orleans, the largest at 391,249 people, ranks #186 nationally at 4.1%. Behind Metairie's headline 4.6%, 1.2% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 34.3% in the moderate 45–60 dB range.

These are measured federal values, not estimates — the US DOT's 2020 transportation-noise map over Census population, tract by tract, counting road, rail and aviation only. Open any Louisiana city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.

Which Louisiana cities are the noisiest?

By this federal data the noisiest Louisiana cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: Metairie, Shreveport, New Orleans top the list, led by Metairie at 4.6%. The full ranking is in the table above.

Louisiana noise: the numbers

• 5 Louisiana cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 17th-most of any state.
• Loudest: Metairie at 4.6% of residents above 60 dB (national #152 of 297).
• Highest severe exposure: Metairie, 1.2% of residents above 70 dB.
• Median Louisiana city: 4.1% above 60 dB; 0 of 5 clear 10%.
• Combined population of the 5: 1,012,675 (ACS 2016–2020).