It's been documented. Boston has a noise problem. According to Boston Municipal Code, any noise louder than 70 decibels is unacceptable at any time. From the hours of 11p.m. to 7a.m. anything louder than 50 decibels is unacceptable. This ordinance excludes all construction, a major contribution to the noise of the city, especially in developing areas.
A study for the Journal of Urban Health shows that noise pollution is increasing in the majority of urban areas as cities try to account for rising populations without spilling into surrounding suburbs. Environmental noise is caused by the sheer number of humans living on top of each other in metropolitan areas.
Environmental noise can have a variety of effects on the health of residents of the cities. Noise pollution has been linked hypertension, high blood pressure, lower cognitive function, and cardiovascular disease. In addition, noise pollution from automobiles can disrupt sleep patterns.
Residents of the various Boston neighborhoods contend with high decibel levels every day. On average, the resting decibel level of the city is 42.7, putting the resting level of noise less than eight decibels away from an unacceptable level for night hours.
Some neighborhoods are worse than others. T. H. Chan, a Harvard researched developed a report card for Boston's noise levels and found that the North End, Dorchester, and Chinatown are the loudest neighborhoods in the city.
Allston is primarily polluted by the noise of cars, as it is one of Boston’s neighborhoods that is more car friendly. At night, several bars on the main streets fill up with young people which contributes to the noise.
Back Bay is a busy neighborhood, intersected by Huntington Avenue, full of all forms of public transit, pedestrians, and several churches.
Bay Village is a neighborhood extending from Back Bay with less traffic and thus is slightly quieter. However, it’s proximity to the rest of the city means that decibel levels remain high in this area.
Beacon Hill is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful neighborhoods of Boston. Residents pay top dollar to live in this centrally located, but slightly quieter neighborhood. Most audible background noise comes from pedestrian chatter and birds chirping.
Chinatown is one of the nosiest Boston neighborhoods. One can hear music from theaters and restaurants in the nearby theatre district, as well as the noise of many pedestrians, and the honking of cars that attempt to navigate the narrow streets.
Downtown is especially noisy right around the shopping area by the Downtown Crossing T stop. Pedestrian traffic is high in this area. Chase Bank plays opera music out onto the street, competing with the sounds of a busker playing the drums.
East Boston has background noise from planes departing and landing at the nearby Logan Airport. The air traffic is a constant for residents of the neighborhood and many complain about the impact of the noise on their lives.
Fenway-Kenmore is heavily trafficked due to the famous baseball park, bars, and restaurants. The nearby Storrow drive brings excessive noise from cars.
Jamaica Plain is one of the quieter neighborhoods of Boston. While the neighborhood is connected to transit, the large Jamaica Pond and the Harvard Arboretum are often quieter than many other places in the city.
Mission Hill has foot traffic from students gong to Northeastern, Wentworth, and the Fenway Four colleges, as well as noise from cars traveling down Huntington. Mission Hill has a high number of noise complaints due to the number of college parties that are broken up on the weekends.
The North End is one of the loudest neighborhoods in Boston, located on the water, densly packed with residents, tourists, restaurants, bars, and a major road separating it from Downtown.
Roxbury has a major bus station, Nubian, that is full of pedestrians. Many residents of the area rely on this transportation to the rest of the city. Farther away from the center grows quieter, although it is still subject to the sounds of cars passing through at high rates.
South Boston is the home of many construction projects. The trendy Seaport district has many construction projects ongoing that make the waterfront loud.
The South End connects the highway to Boston near a major hospital. Public transit makes up the majority of noise in the area.
The Wharf is home to many restaurants, the aquarium, and docks. Background noises include the caws of seagulls, boats leaving the harbor, and the rush of wind coming off of the water.