Quiet Hours: Burlington vs Cambridge
How do quiet hours rules compare between Burlington, MA and Cambridge, MA?
Burlington has fewer restrictions than Cambridge.
Burlington, MA
Middlesex County
Middlesex County has no operational county government - it was abolished July 11, 1997 under M.G.L. c. 34B - so there is no countywide noise ordinance. Massachusetts has no statewide decibel limit either; quiet hours are set by each city/town under home rule. The state baseline is 310 CMR 7.10 (MassDEP Noise Pollution Policy), which prohibits any source from causing sound that exceeds the ambient (background) level by more than 10 dB(A) at the property line of the source, or that produces a pure tone condition. In Middlesex County's largest cities, Cambridge Code Ch. 8.16 sets quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., Lowell Code Ch. 215 prohibits unreasonable noise from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., and Newton Code Ch. 20 sets the period 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. weekdays.
View full Burlington rules →Cambridge, MA
Middlesex County
Cambridge enforces nighttime quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM weekdays and 10 PM to 9 AM weekends under the Cambridge Noise Control Ordinance, Chapter 8.16 of the Municipal Code.
View full Cambridge rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Burlington | Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Weekday Quiet Hours | - | 10 PM to 7 AM |
| Weekend Quiet Hours | - | 10 PM to 9 AM |
| Code Chapter | - | Municipal Code Chapter 8.16 |
| State Authority | - | MGL c.40 s.21 |
| Reporting | - | Cambridge iReport / 311 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Burlington FAQ
Cambridge FAQ
Are weekend quiet hours different in Cambridge?
Yes. Weekends and holidays extend morning quiet hours until 9 AM instead of 7 AM, giving residents two extra hours of protection.
Who enforces noise complaints in Cambridge?
Cambridge Police handle live disturbances; Inspectional Services handles construction and equipment noise. Both accept reports through iReport.
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