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The loudest cities in Massachusetts, ranked by noise exposure
Massachusetts has 5 cities of 100,000+ residents in the federal transportation-noise ranking. The loudest is Boston, where 12.9% of residents live with 60 dB or louder average-day road, rail and aviation noise; the median Massachusetts city exposes 6.6% to that level.
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| Massachusetts # | City | US # | ≥60 dB | ≥70 dB | 45–60 dB | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston | 4 | 12.9% | 2.6% | 73.4% | 682,902 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 40 | 7.7% | 0.3% | 63.9% | 117,822 |
| 3 | Lowell | 60 | 6.6% | 1% | 29.5% | 111,311 |
| 4 | Worcester | 77 | 6.1% | 1.5% | 29% | 185,186 |
| 5 | Springfield | 101 | 5.4% | 1.1% | 41% | 153,677 |
Massachusetts's 5 ranked cities house 1,250,898 residents. Loudest first, by share of residents above 60 dB: Boston (12.9%), Cambridge (7.7%), Lowell (6.6%), Worcester (6.1%), Springfield (5.4%) — down to Springfield at 5.4%. The median city exposes 6.6%, and 1 of 5 clears the 10% mark. The hardest-hit on the severe 70 dB+ band is Boston (2.6% of residents); the most populous, Boston at 682,902 residents, lands #4 in the national table with 12.9% above 60 dB. Behind Boston's headline 12.9%, 2.6% of its residents are in the severe 70 dB+ band and 73.4% in the moderate 45–60 dB range.
Every share is rolled up from per-city tract data: the 2020 BTS noise map paired with ACS population, road plus rail plus aviation, nothing modeled by us. Open any Massachusetts city below for its full census-tract map, then measure your own street with the free live meter.
Which Massachusetts cities are the noisiest?
By this federal data the noisiest Massachusetts cities are the same as the loudest, since "noisiest" here means measured road, rail and aviation exposure: Boston, Cambridge, Lowell top the list, led by Boston at 12.9%. The full ranking is in the table above.
Massachusetts noise: the numbers
- 5 Massachusetts cities of 100,000+ residents are in the ranking — 18th-most of any state.
- Loudest: Boston at 12.9% of residents above 60 dB (national #4 of 297).
- Highest severe exposure: Boston, 2.6% of residents above 70 dB.
- Median Massachusetts city: 6.6% above 60 dB; 1 of 5 clear 10%.
- Combined population of the 5: 1,250,898 (ACS 2016–2020).
How this ranking is measured
These are the same federal measurements behind the national ranking of all 297 US cities — the BTS 2020 National Transportation Noise Map (road + rail + aviation) overlaid with Census ACS 2016–2020 population at census-tract level, with no estimation by us. Full methodology and the free CSV/JSON are on that page. It counts transportation noise only: sirens, construction and nightlife are outside the model.
How loud is your street?
Rankings describe city averages — your block is its own story. Check it with the free online decibel meter, or open any city above for its full census-tract noise map.