Thornton noise map: where the city is loudest

Thornton's 26 census tracts span the full range of the federal noise map. Of its 143,612 residents, 2.2% are exposed to 60 dB or more of average-day road, rail and aviation noise. Within that, 0.4% face the most severe band — 70 dB or louder, the level at which sustained exposure starts damaging hearing. A further 11.4% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. Overall the city ranks #276 of 297, below the national median — quieter than most big US cities.

Among Colorado's 10 cities of 100,000+ residents, Thornton is the 8th-loudest. Nationally it sits just below Augusta-Richmond County, GA (#275) and just above St. Petersburg, FL (#277).

On the map, green tracts are the quietest and red tracts the loudest, with each colored by the share of its own residents above 60 dB — so you can see exactly which parts of Thornton carry the noise. The loudest tracts track the city's busiest road, rail and flight corridors. These are measured values from the US DOT's 2020 National Transportation Noise Map paired with Census population, aggregated to tracts by the University of Washington — real data per tract, no interpolation and no estimate.

Thornton noise: the specifics

• Ranks #276 of 297 US cities (100k+ pop) by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
• 2.2% of Thornton's 143,612 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
• 0.4% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 11.4% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
• Computed across 26 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
• 2.2% of residents above 60 dB ranks #276 of 297 US cities — see the full measured ranking.