Northwood, IA Noise Levels
Noise levels in Northwood, IA
At 52.5 dB(A), Northwood, 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 road traffic, well ahead of the other two modes BTS tracks. That figure is sampled at one coordinate, the Census Bureau's own internal point for Northwood, not a street-by-street survey of the whole place.
Where Northwood'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 Northwood
Upgraded windows, door seals and STC-rated glazing meaningfully cut broadband, near-continuous road noise.
How Northwood compares nationally
Northwood ranks 1,413 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. By population, it ranks 7,591 of the 12,137 places in this dataset, home to about 2,047 people.
Checking one address in Northwood
Northwood's figure above is a town-wide reading. For one exact address, BTS's own map is the free, authoritative source.
Where Northwood's figures come from
Every dB(A) figure on this page traces to a named BTS dataset, documented 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.