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The loudest cities in Texas, ranked by noise exposure
Texas has 37 cities of 100,000+ residents in the federal transportation-noise ranking — the 2nd-most of any state. The loudest is Laredo, where 8.9% of residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day road, rail and aviation noise; the median Texas city exposes 4.6% to that level.
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| Texas # | City | US # | ≥60 dB | ≥70 dB | 45–60 dB | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Laredo | 26 | 8.9% | 0.9% | 70.1% | 241,239 |
| 2 | Dallas | 51 | 7% | 1.6% | 38.3% | 1,382,096 |
| 3 | Irving | 62 | 6.5% | 1.5% | 62.7% | 240,475 |
| 4 | Midland | 87 | 5.8% | 1.2% | 42.8% | 134,345 |
| 5 | Fort Worth | 89 | 5.7% | 1.3% | 49.6% | 842,371 |
| 6 | Lewisville | 90 | 5.7% | 1.5% | 74.5% | 126,827 |
| 7 | Houston | 92 | 5.7% | 1.7% | 40.2% | 2,326,953 |
| 8 | Lubbock | 97 | 5.5% | 0.9% | 17.3% | 260,189 |
| 9 | Odessa | 100 | 5.4% | 1.1% | 38.7% | 112,598 |
| 10 | El Paso | 107 | 5.2% | 1.1% | 34.3% | 652,492 |
| 11 | Amarillo | 112 | 5.1% | 1.4% | 47.9% | 198,530 |
| 12 | Beaumont | 118 | 5.1% | 1.1% | 41.8% | 116,834 |
| 13 | Grand Prairie | 125 | 4.9% | 1.3% | 42.6% | 196,874 |
| 14 | Carrollton | 127 | 4.9% | 1.4% | 42.1% | 135,153 |
| 15 | Pasadena | 128 | 4.8% | 0.8% | 51.7% | 155,928 |
| 16 | Austin | 132 | 4.8% | 1.5% | 22.7% | 968,088 |
| 17 | College Station | 145 | 4.6% | 1% | 29.4% | 104,608 |
| 18 | Mesquite | 146 | 4.6% | 1.7% | 28.5% | 147,919 |
| 19 | Arlington | 153 | 4.6% | 1.1% | 46.8% | 402,959 |
| 20 | Corpus Christi | 154 | 4.6% | 0.9% | 16.7% | 312,636 |
| 21 | San Antonio | 156 | 4.6% | 1.3% | 32.9% | 1,508,500 |
| 22 | Sugar Land | 161 | 4.5% | 1.4% | 37.3% | 104,684 |
| 23 | Abilene | 164 | 4.4% | 0.9% | 26.8% | 116,064 |
| 24 | McAllen | 165 | 4.4% | 0.4% | 26% | 143,174 |
| 25 | Tyler | 167 | 4.4% | 0.8% | 19.2% | 100,327 |
| 26 | Denton | 179 | 4.2% | 1.1% | 39.4% | 118,065 |
| 27 | Killeen | 211 | 3.7% | 0.7% | 46.8% | 140,582 |
| 28 | McKinney | 221 | 3.5% | 0.6% | 18.1% | 178,827 |
| 29 | Waco | 223 | 3.5% | 0.8% | 19.5% | 133,525 |
| 30 | Garland | 224 | 3.5% | 0.6% | 16.3% | 239,714 |
| 31 | Brownsville | 230 | 3.4% | 0.5% | 19.1% | 180,830 |
| 32 | Round Rock | 234 | 3.4% | 0.9% | 15.5% | 117,039 |
| 33 | Richardson | 235 | 3.3% | 0.8% | 19.3% | 110,274 |
| 34 | Plano | 243 | 3.2% | 0.8% | 15.2% | 289,232 |
| 35 | Frisco | 258 | 2.9% | 0.7% | 10% | 199,944 |
| 36 | League City | 271 | 2.5% | 0.5% | 11.5% | 109,482 |
| 37 | The Woodlands | 281 | 2.1% | 0.3% | 12.1% | 119,921 |
Texas's 37 ranked cities house 12,969,298 residents. Loudest first, by share of residents above 60 dB: Laredo (8.9%), Dallas (7%), Irving (6.5%), Midland (5.8%), Fort Worth (5.7%), Lewisville (5.7%), Houston (5.7%), Lubbock (5.5%), then 29 more — down to The Woodlands at 2.1%. The median city exposes 4.6%, and 0 of 37 clear the 10% mark. The hardest-hit on the severe 70 dB+ band is Houston (1.7% of residents); the most populous, Houston at 2,326,953 residents, lands #92 in the national table with 5.7% above 60 dB. Behind Laredo's headline 8.9%, 0.9% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 70.1% in the moderate 45–60 dB range.
Each figure is a transparent aggregation of the 2020 federal noise map and Census population — no estimation, and no credit for sirens, industry or crowds. Open any Texas city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.
Which Texas cities are the noisiest?
By this federal data the noisiest Texas cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: Laredo, Dallas, Irving top the list, led by Laredo at 8.9%. The full ranking is in the table above.
Texas noise: the numbers
- 37 Texas cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 2nd-most of any state.
- Loudest: Laredo at 8.9% of residents above 60 dB (national #26 of 297).
- Highest severe exposure: Houston, 1.7% of residents above 70 dB.
- Median Texas city: 4.6% above 60 dB; 0 of 37 clear 10%.
- Combined population of the 37: 12,969,298 (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.