Winston-Salem noise map: where the city is loudest

Winston-Salem's 60 census tracts span the full range of the federal noise map. Of its 228,399 residents, 3.9% are exposed to 60 dB or more of average-day road, rail and aviation noise. Within that, 0.8% face the most severe band — 70 dB or louder, the level at which sustained exposure starts damaging hearing. A further 14.1% sit in the 45–60 dB band — a noticeable background hum rather than a hearing risk. Overall the city ranks #198 of 297, below the national median — quieter than most big US cities.

Among North Carolina's 9 cities of 100,000+ residents, Winston-Salem is the 6th-loudest. Nationally it sits just below Akron, OH (#197) and just above Des Moines, IA (#199).

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 Winston-Salem 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.

Winston-Salem noise: the specifics

• Ranks #198 of 297 US cities (100k+ pop) by share of residents exposed to ≥60 dB transportation noise.
• 3.9% of Winston-Salem's 228,399 residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day transportation noise.
• 0.8% are in the severe 70 dB+ band; 14.1% sit in the 45–60 dB moderate range.
• Computed across 60 census tracts from the federal BTS 2020 noise map × ACS 2016–2020 population.
• 3.9% of residents above 60 dB ranks #198 of 297 US cities — see the full measured ranking.