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How loud is Tallinn, Estonia?

In Tallinn, Estonia, most noise-exposed residents face average day-evening-night (Lden) transport noise of 45–60 dB, mostly from road traffic, dropping to 45–55 dB at night. That ranks Tallinn #312 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 Tallinn, Estonia: road-traffic 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.
Tallinn's road-traffic 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.
Tallinn at a glance (measured EEA data)
European rank (of 314) #312
Daytime Lden range 45–60 dB
Night Lnight range 45–55 dB
vs. WHO guideline ≈ 0 dB above the 53 dB Lden road-noise guideline (night guideline: 45 dB)
Dominant source road traffic
Population 444,970
Data confidence high

Tallinn houses 444,970 people. Its noise-exposed residents experience Lden levels of 45–60 dB by day and 45–55 dB at night, driven mainly by road traffic, which puts it #312 of 314 in the measured European ranking — below the European median — quieter than most cities in the ranking. Among Estonia's 2 ranked agglomerations, Tallinn is the 2nd-loudest. Across Europe it sits just below Kaunas, Lithuania (#311) and just above Matosinhos, Portugal (#313).

The WHO road-traffic guideline is 53 dB Lden by day and 45 dB Lnight at night, so Tallinn'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 Estonia'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.

Tallinn noise: the numbers

  • Ranks #312 of 314 European cities by measured day-evening-night (Lden) transport-noise exposure.
  • Exposed residents face Lden 45–60 dB by day and Lnight 45–55 dB at night.
  • Dominant noise source: road traffic. Population 444,970.
  • The 2nd-loudest of Estonia's 2 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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