Bureau of Transportation Statistics: Colorado’s Loudest Cities

Nobody in Grand Junction thinks this place is loud until a freight train decides to blast through town at 2:14 a.m. like it’s trying to warn us about the apocalypse.

Still, compared to the Front Range, we’re basically quiet.

Colorado’s latest noise maps from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics back up what anybody who’s spent time around Denver already knows.

The Front Range is loud. A lot of that comes from Denver International Airport, which never really stops humming, roaring, or rattling windows somewhere nearby.

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Denver Is Playing a Different Game

You can complain about your neighbor revving a side-by-side at midnight, but Denver residents are dealing with planes overhead every few minutes. Entirely different level of noise.

And it spreads beyond Denver. Boulder and Castle Rock rank high too, which makes sense. The Front Range is basically one long stretch of traffic, construction, and people driving like they’re late for surgery.

Grand Junction’s Loudest Sound Is Usually One Guy

Grand Junction lands on the map too, but our version of noise pollution feels a little more personal.

Here, it’s the motorcycle flying down North Avenue at a completely unnecessary speed. It's living a few houses from I-70 during tourist season. It’s jets near Horizon Drive sounding way closer than they actually are.

Read More: Mapping Colorado: Why It’s Time to Update Your Regional Knowledge of the State

If you grew up here, you probably know the difference between a train horn and a cattle trailer rattling down Highway 50 without even thinking about it.

Regardless of any racket you may hear in Grand Junction, it's not the level you'll hear on the Front Range.