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How loud is Matosinhos, Portugal?

In Matosinhos, Portugal, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 45–60 dB, mostly from road traffic and aircraft, dropping to 40–55 dB at night. That ranks Matosinhos #313 of 314 European cities by measured EEA exposure, below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking.

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Noise map of Matosinhos, Portugal: aircraft noise contours from the EU strategic noise maps, shaded yellow (≈55 dB Lden) through orange and red to dark purple (≈75 dB+), over the city's street network.
Matosinhos's aircraft noise, mapped: each band is a measured Lden contour from the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) — yellow ≈55 dB rising to dark purple ≈75 dB+. Basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors, © CARTO.
Matosinhos at a glance (measured EEA data)
European rank (of 314) #313
Daytime Lden range 45–60 dB
Night Lnight range 40–55 dB
vs. WHO guideline ≈ 0 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB)
Dominant source road traffic and aircraft
Population 172,586
Data confidence high

Matosinhos houses 172,586 people. Its noise-exposed residents experience Lden levels of 45–60 dB by day and 40–55 dB at night, driven mainly by road traffic and aircraft, which puts it #313 of 314 in the measured European ranking — below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking. Among Portugal's 5 ranked agglomerations, Matosinhos is the 5th-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Tallinn, Estonia (#312) and just above Torrejon de Ardoz, Spain (#314).

The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Matosinhos's exposed residents run close to the daytime guideline. The figures count road, rail, aircraft and industry only, so sirens, nightlife and construction sit outside the model — which is why measured exposure can differ from a city's reputation for noise.

These are measured values, not estimates: they come from Portugal's strategic noise maps reported under the EU Environmental Noise Directive (2022 round) and harmonised by the European Environment Agency. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only people above the 55 dB Lden reporting threshold are counted, so the range describes the noise-exposed population, not the city's quietest streets.

Matosinhos noise: the numbers

  • Ranks #313 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
  • Exposed residents face Lden 45–60 dB by day and Lnight 40–55 dB at night.
  • Dominant noise source: road traffic and aircraft. Population 172,586.
  • The 5th-loudest of Portugal's 5 ranked agglomerations.

These are measured values from the EU Environmental Noise Directive strategic noise maps (2022 round), harmonised by the European Environment Agency — see the methodology on the European city ranking. Lden is the annual-average day-evening-night level; only residents above the 55 dB Lden threshold are reported.

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