Iowa City, IA Noise Levels
How loud is Iowa City, IA?
At 47.5 dB(A), Iowa City, IA 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. Iowa City's reading comes from a single sampled point, not a block-by-block sweep, so a specific address here could genuinely differ.
Where Iowa 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 Iowa 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 Iowa City compares nationally
Iowa City ranks 1,875 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. About 76,710 people live there, making it the 497th largest place in this dataset.
Checking one address in Iowa City
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Iowa City directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Iowa 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.