How Noisy?

Road & rail noise map for Malmesbury

Town in Wiltshire, South West

We analysed 335 postcodes in and around Malmesbury, Wiltshire against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 25% of them (85) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 74% of postcodes have no mapped road or rail noise at all — though that reflects major-source modelling, not guaranteed quiet. The highest modelled level we found is at SN16 0EL (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).

Noise map of Malmesbury

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55-59 dB60-64 dB65-69 dB70-74 dB75 dB+Unshaded = below the mapping threshold or not modelled (not necessarily quiet).

How many postcodes are affected?

Road noise

BandDay (LAeq,16h)Night (Lnight)
55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night14% (46)11% (37)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night10% (35)7% (22)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night1% (4)<1% (2)
70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night0% (0)0% (0)
Below mapped bands / not mapped75%82%

Rail noise

BandDay (LAeq,16h)Night (Lnight)
55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night<1% (1)<1% (1)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night0% (0)0% (0)
75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night0% (0)0% (0)
Below mapped bands / not mapped100%100%

Share of the 335 postcodes within ~5 km of the Malmesbury centre. Source: DEFRA Strategic Noise Mapping Round 4 (2022), Open Government Licence.

Noisiest postcodes in and around Malmesbury

Check a specific postcode

Example searches: SN16 0HF · SN16 0HU · SN15 5BL · SN16 0EL · SN16 0AG · SN15 5BP

What this data does — and doesn't — cover

  • Modelled, not measured.These are DEFRA's computer-modelled estimates (Round 4, 2022), not microphone readings at your door.
  • Major sources only. The model covers major roads, major railways and large urban areas. Smaller local roads, neighbours, pubs, building sites and aircraft are not included.
  • No mapped noise ≠ quiet. If a location shows no band, it means it falls outside the mapped contours — not that it is silent.
  • 2022 snapshot.New roads, developments or traffic changes since 2022 won't show. The next DEFRA round is due around 2027.

More detail on the methodology page.

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Nearby areas

Frequently asked questions

How noisy is Malmesbury?
We analysed 335 postcodes in and around Malmesbury, Wiltshire against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 25% of them (85) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 74% of postcodes have no mapped road or rail noise at all — though that reflects major-source modelling, not guaranteed quiet. The highest modelled level we found is at SN16 0EL (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).
Where is the most road noise in Malmesbury?
The postcodes with the highest modelled daytime levels in and around Malmesbury are SN16 0EL, SN15 5BL, SN16 0HU, based on DEFRA's 2022 model of major roads and railways.