An extensive noise measurement survey was made in Medford, Massachusetts, suburb of Boston, during March, April, and May 1971, to assess the importance of transportation noise in a typical urban community, and to obtain validation data for a mathematical model developed to simulate such noise levels. Noise measurements were made at 49 locations distributed uniformly across the community, with continuous 24‐h measurements at five of the locations. The median noise level over the entire community was 54 dBAduring the morning rush hour, and 51 dBAduring the midday period. Noise levels were influenced primarily by highway traffic, with a major highway arterial corridor producing the highest noise levels in the community.