How Noisy?

Road & rail noise map for Wareham

Town in Dorset, South West

We analysed 365 postcodes in and around Wareham, Dorset against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 16% of them (59) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 84% 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 BH20 4LX (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).

Noise map of Wareham

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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 night8% (29)6% (21)
60.0–64.9 dB day · 55.0–59.9 dB night5% (20)5% (18)
65.0–69.9 dB day · 60.0–64.9 dB night3% (10)<1% (1)
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 mapped84%89%

Rail noise

BandDay (LAeq,16h)Night (Lnight)
55.0–59.9 dB day · 50.0–54.9 dB night<1% (2)<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 mapped99%100%

Share of the 365 postcodes within ~5 km of the Wareham centre. Source: DEFRA Strategic Noise Mapping Round 4 (2022), Open Government Licence.

Noisiest postcodes in and around Wareham

Check a specific postcode

Example searches: BH20 4FN · BH20 4JS · BH16 6JR · BH20 4AF · BH20 4AB · BH20 4JU

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 Wareham?
We analysed 365 postcodes in and around Wareham, Dorset against DEFRA's Strategic Noise Mapping (Round 4, 2022). 16% of them (59) have mapped road noise of 55 dB or more by day, and <1% have mapped rail noise. 84% 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 BH20 4LX (road noise 65.0–69.9 dB by day).
Where is the most road noise in Wareham?
The postcodes with the highest modelled daytime levels in and around Wareham are BH20 4LX, BH16 6JR, BH20 7AG, based on DEFRA's 2022 model of major roads and railways.