Clifton, IL Noise Levels
How loud is Clifton, IL?
BTS only publishes Clifton, IL in the 70-79.9 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 "Normally Unacceptable" (65-75 dB(A)) or "Unacceptable" (above 75 dB(A)) under 24 CFR 51.104. The main source is rail traffic, well ahead of the other two modes BTS tracks. Treat this as Clifton's one representative point, not a promise about every block in it, BTS's map wasn't built to resolve individual streets.
Where Clifton'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 Clifton
That also clears FHWA's own 66 dB(A) impact threshold for residential land use (23 CFR 772, Table 1), the level highway agencies use to decide whether a new road needs a sound wall. 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 Clifton compares nationally
Clifton ranks 59 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. Population is about 1,295, 9,305th largest of the 12,137 places covered here.
Checking one address in Clifton
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Clifton directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Clifton'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.