Bakersfield, CA Noise Levels
How loud is Bakersfield, CA?
BTS only publishes Bakersfield, CA in the 60-69.9 dB(A) band, which straddles HUD's own dividing line: depending on exactly where in that range the true 24-hour average falls, this reads as "Acceptable" (65 dB(A) or below) or "Normally Unacceptable" (65-75 dB(A)) under 24 CFR 51.104. The main source is road traffic, well ahead of the other two modes BTS tracks. This describes Bakersfield as a whole, not a specific block, the underlying BTS map resolves to about 38 meters per pixel, sampled at the town's own center point.
Where Bakersfield'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 Bakersfield
Depending on where in that band the true value sits, it may also clear FHWA's 66 dB(A) residential impact threshold (23 CFR 772, Table 1), the trigger highway agencies use for sound-wall decisions. Upgraded windows, door seals and STC-rated glazing meaningfully cut broadband, near-continuous road noise.
How Bakersfield compares nationally
Bakersfield ranks 79 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. Population is about 417,468, 49th largest of the 12,137 places covered here.
Checking one address in Bakersfield
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Bakersfield directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Bakersfield'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 road traffic calls for a different fix than the other two sources.