How Noisy?

Road & rail noise map for Wantage

Town in Oxfordshire, South East

We analysed 824 postcodes in and around Wantage, Oxfordshire against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 20% of them (167) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 80% 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 OX12 8AT (road noise 70.0–74.9 dB by day).

Noise map of Wantage

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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% (114)5% (40)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night5% (43)4% (32)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night1% (9)<1% (8)
70.0–74.9 dB day · 65.0–69.9 dB night<1% (1)0% (0)
75.0 dB or more day · 70.0 dB or more night0% (0)0% (0)
Below mapped bands / not mapped80%90%

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

Noisiest postcodes in and around Wantage

Check a specific postcode

Example searches: OX12 8AT · OX12 7BH · OX12 7BS · OX12 7BT · OX12 8AD · OX12 8FP

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 Wantage?
We analysed 824 postcodes in and around Wantage, Oxfordshire against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 20% of them (167) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 80% 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 OX12 8AT (road noise 70.0–74.9 dB by day).
Where is the most road noise in Wantage?
The postcodes with the highest modelled daytime levels in and around Wantage are OX12 8AT, OX12 7BH, OX12 9TB, based on DEFRA's 2022 model of major roads and railways.