Richmond, CA Noise Levels
How loud is Richmond, CA?
BTS only publishes Richmond, CA 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 rail traffic, well ahead of the other two modes BTS tracks. Richmond's reading comes from a single sampled point, not a block-by-block sweep, so a specific address here could genuinely differ.
Where Richmond'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 Richmond
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. 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 Richmond compares nationally
Richmond ranks 84 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. By population, it ranks 270 of the 12,137 places in this dataset, home to about 115,353 people.
Checking one address in Richmond
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Richmond directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Richmond'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.