Owatonna, MN Noise Levels
Noise levels in Owatonna, MN
At 52.5 dB(A), Owatonna, MN 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. That figure is sampled at one coordinate, the Census Bureau's own internal point for Owatonna, not a street-by-street survey of the whole place.
Where Owatonna'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 Owatonna
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 Owatonna compares nationally
Owatonna ranks 920 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. Population is about 26,626, 1,499th largest of the 12,137 places covered here.
Checking one address in Owatonna
Owatonna's figure above is a town-wide reading. For one exact address, BTS's own map is the free, authoritative source.
Where Owatonna'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 rail traffic calls for a different fix than the other two sources.