If you’ve ever spent time in a big city, you know just how loud it can get there, especially compared to tranquil suburban areas. Beyond being annoying and disruptive, noise pollution is an invisible danger that can lead to long-term health problems for both people and wildlife nearby. Traffic, construction and loud concerts contribute to that noise and new research reveals which places have the worst of it.
- A report from Steel Guard Safety highlights the U.S. cities with the worst noise pollution problems.
- They rated the 100 most populated cities in the country on noise contributors like population density, traffic density, public transportation, number of bars and nightlife venues per square mile, number of flights per day and number of public parks.
- Unsurprisingly, the noisiest city in the U.S. is New York City, which tops the list because of the combination of high population density, a vibrant nightlife scene and a busy public transit system.
- Chicago comes in second, thanks to all those incoming and outgoing flights, as well as lots of traffic.
- Washington, D.C. misses the top 10, coming in 11th, in part because of all the noise-dampening park space in the city, which makes up 24% of its footprint.
The 10 U.S. Cities with the Most Noise Pollution
- New York, New York
- Chicago, Illinois
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Newark, New Jersey
- Boston, Massachusetts
- San Francisco, California
- Miami, Florida
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Long Beach, California
- Los Angeles, California
Source: USA Today