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The loudest cities in Netherlands, ranked by noise exposure

Netherlands has 19 agglomerations in the measured European transport-noise ranking. The loudest is Amsterdam, where exposed residents face day-evening-night (Lden) noise of 55–70 dB, mostly from road traffic; the median Netherlands city sits near Lden 62.5 dB.

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Netherlands agglomerations ranked by measured Lden transport-noise exposure (EU Environmental Noise Directive, 2022 round)
Netherlands # City Europe # Lden Lnight Source Population
1 Amsterdam 101 55–70 50–65 Road 2,636,524
2 Nijmegen 102 55–70 50–60 Road 177,233
3 The Hague 114 55–70 50–60 Road 1,384,824
4 Apeldoorn 125 55–70 50–60 Road 163,980
5 Rotterdam 131 55–70 50–60 Road 1,363,320
6 Eindhoven 144 55–70 50–65 Road 465,719
7 Arnhem 156 55–70 50–60 Road 161,852
8 Enschede 157 55–70 50–60 Road 313,651
9 Gouda 158 55–70 50–60 Road 215,066
10 Heerlen 165 55–70 50–60 Road 245,921
11 Hilversum 166 55–70 50–60 Road 233,128
12 s Hertogenbosch 167 55–70 50–60 Road 155,301
13 Groningen 172 55–70 50–60 Road 232,369
14 Amersfoort 180 55–70 50–60 Road 157,327
15 Breda 181 55–70 50–60 Road 184,068
16 Utrecht 194 55–70 50–60 Road 571,209
17 Alkmaar 207 55–70 50–60 Road 249,472
18 Almere 222 55–70 50–60 Road 213,006
19 Zwolle 240 55–65 50–60 Road 129,029

Netherlands's 19 ranked agglomerations house 9,252,999 residents. Loudest first, by exposed-resident day-evening-night (Lden) level: Amsterdam (55–70 dB), Nijmegen (55–70 dB), The Hague (55–70 dB), Apeldoorn (55–70 dB), Rotterdam (55–70 dB), Eindhoven (55–70 dB), Arnhem (55–70 dB), Enschede (55–70 dB), then 11 more — down to Zwolle at 55–65 dB. The median city centres near Lden 62.5 dB. Road traffic is the dominant source in all 19. The most populous, Amsterdam at 2,636,524 residents, ranks #101 across Europe with exposed-resident Lden of 55–70 dB. The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, which most of these Netherlands cities exceed for their noise-exposed residents.

These are measured values, not estimates — strategic noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round), harmonised by the European Environment Agency, covering road, rail, aircraft and industry. Lnight, the night-time figure, is the level most closely tied to sleep disturbance, which is why the EU reports it separately from the daytime Lden. Open any Netherlands city below for its full figures, then measure your own street with the free live meter.

Which Netherlands cities are the noisiest?

By this EEA data the noisiest Netherlands cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail, aircraft and industrial exposure: Amsterdam, Nijmegen, The Hague top the list, led by Amsterdam at Lden 55–70 dB (road traffic). The full ranking is in the table above.

Netherlands noise: the numbers

  • 19 Netherlands agglomerations are in the measured European ranking — 5th-most of any country here.
  • Loudest: Amsterdam at exposed-resident Lden 55–70 dB (European #101).
  • Quietest ranked: Zwolle at Lden 55–65 dB; median near Lden 62.5 dB.
  • Road traffic is the dominant source in 19 of the 19.
  • Combined population of the 19: 9,252,999.

How this ranking is measured

These are the same measurements behind the European ranking of all 314 cities — the EU Environmental Noise Directive strategic noise maps (road, rail, aircraft and industry), 2022 reporting round, harmonised by the European Environment Agency, with no estimation by us. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only residents above the 55 dB Lden threshold are reported, so the ranges describe the noise-exposed population.

How loud is your street?

Rankings describe city-wide exposure — your block is its own story. Check it with the free online decibel meter, or open any city above for its full figures.

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