Sioux Falls, SD Noise Levels
How loud is Sioux Falls, SD?
At 52.5 dB(A), Sioux Falls, SD 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. Sioux Falls's reading comes from a single sampled point, not a block-by-block sweep, so a specific address here could genuinely differ.
Where Sioux Falls'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 Sioux Falls
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 Sioux Falls compares nationally
Sioux Falls ranks 792 of 3,622 measured places nationally, 1 being the loudest this dataset covers. Population is about 209,289, 119th largest of the 12,137 places covered here.
Checking one address in Sioux Falls
Nothing here substitutes for checking one address in Sioux Falls directly, and BTS's own map lets anyone do that at no cost.
Sioux Falls'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.