Minneapolis, MN Noise Levels
How loud is Minneapolis, MN?
BTS only publishes Minneapolis, MN 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. Minneapolis's reading comes from a single sampled point, not a block-by-block sweep, so a specific address here could genuinely differ.
Where Minneapolis'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 Minneapolis
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 Minneapolis compares nationally
Minneapolis ranks 78 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. By population, it ranks 48 of the 12,137 places in this dataset, home to about 428,579 people.
Checking one address in Minneapolis
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Minneapolis directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Minneapolis'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.