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The loudest cities in Tennessee, ranked by noise exposure
Among Tennessee's 6 cities of 100,000 or more residents, Memphis is the noisiest: 5.3% of its people live with average-day transportation noise of 60 dB or louder, ranking it #103 of 297 US cities. The typical Tennessee city in the list sits at 4.5%.
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| Tennessee # | City | US # | ≥60 dB | ≥70 dB | 45–60 dB | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memphis | 103 | 5.3% | 0.8% | 43% | 646,100 |
| 2 | Nashville | 115 | 5.1% | 1.2% | 40.4% | 661,890 |
| 3 | Knoxville | 121 | 5% | 1.3% | 20% | 183,769 |
| 4 | Chattanooga | 201 | 3.9% | 0.9% | 26.2% | 177,956 |
| 5 | Clarksville | 268 | 2.5% | 0.6% | 8.7% | 142,325 |
| 6 | Murfreesboro | 284 | 2% | 0.2% | 11% | 113,190 |
Across Tennessee, 6 cities of 100,000+ make the measured ranking — 1,925,230 people combined. In order of residents above 60 dB: Memphis (5.3%), Nashville (5.1%), Knoxville (5%), Chattanooga (3.9%), Clarksville (2.5%), Murfreesboro (2%), down to Murfreesboro at 2%. The midpoint sits at 4.5%, with 0 cities clearing 10%. Knoxville leads the state for residents in the severe 70 dB+ band at 1.3%. Nashville, the biggest of the 6 with 661,890 residents, sits at 5.1% (national #115). Behind Memphis's headline 5.3%, 0.8% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 43% 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 Tennessee city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.
Which Tennessee cities are the noisiest?
By this federal data the noisiest Tennessee cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville top the list, led by Memphis at 5.3%. The full ranking is in the table above.
Tennessee noise: the numbers
- 6 Tennessee cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 14th-most of any state.
- Loudest: Memphis at 5.3% of residents above 60 dB (national #103 of 297).
- Highest severe exposure: Knoxville, 1.3% of residents above 70 dB.
- Median Tennessee city: 4.5% above 60 dB; 0 of 6 clear 10%.
- Combined population of the 6: 1,925,230 (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.