Central City, IL Noise Levels
How loud is Central City, IL?
At 47.5 dB(A), Central City, IL 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. This describes Central City 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 Central City'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 Central City
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 Central City compares nationally
Central City ranks 3,333 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. About 1,067 people live there, making it the 10,006th largest place in this dataset.
Checking one address in Central City
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Central City directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Central City'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.