Abilene, KS Noise Levels
How loud is Abilene, KS?
At 47.5 dB(A), Abilene, KS falls inside HUD's "Acceptable" noise zone, 65 dB(A) day-night average or below under 24 CFR 51.104, the federal government's own line for building housing with no extra sound attenuation required. The main source is rail traffic, well ahead of the other two modes BTS tracks. That's the reading at Abilene's Census-defined center point, not any one street, BTS's map is a live raster, not a per-address service.
Where Abilene's noise comes from
BTS models these three sources separately before combining them, so a place can be quiet on two and loud on the third.
If you're weighing a move to Abilene
The same window and door upgrades that work on road noise also cut broadband rail noise, though very low-frequency freight rumble travels through walls, not just glass.
How Abilene compares nationally
Abilene ranks 2,513 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. About 6,501 people live there, making it the 4,225th largest place in this dataset.
Checking one address in Abilene
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Abilene directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Abilene's number isn't a one-off calculation, it comes from the same method covered in the methodology guide. The guide to what actually cuts each kind of noise explains why rail traffic calls for a different fix than the other two sources.