OK, so it’s not like you can hear a pin drop in the middle of Congress Street, but you might hear a pedestrian cough or a baby cry on an average Tucson day.
That’s according to ReSound, a pioneer in hearing aids and other wireless technologies, which studies all things noise and quiet.
The company on Thursday released its latest study that ranked the nation’s loudest and quietest cities.
Tucson came in fifth among big cities for quiet with an overall noise score of 14.27 out of 80.
Our neighbors to the north probably didn’t hear that news through all the noise.
Phoenix’s noise level is nearly double Tucson, placing it at No. 9 among the nation’s noisiest cities, lagging behind San Francisco and coming ahead of Atlanta.
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ReSound’s study of 50 of the nation’s largest cities considered traffic congestion and aircraft noise along with population density, transportation noise exposure, live music and sports stadium venues and noise and light pollution.
ReSound analyzed 50 of the nation’s largest cities across eight everyday noise factors, including traffic, aircraft noise, environmental noise, nightlife, live music venues, major sports stadiums and transportation noise exposure.
Phoenix also had the highest overall aircraft noise level of any city in the study, at 63 decibels compared to Tucson’s 47.
America’s 10 quietest major cities
1. Virginia Beach, Virginia – 1.53/80
2. Colorado Springs, Colorado – 11.68/80
3. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – 13.16/80
4. Tulsa, Oklahoma – 13.69/80
5. Tucson – 14.27/80
6. Kansas City, Missouri – 14.48/80
7. Albuquerque, New Mexico – 15.00/80
8. Omaha, Nebraska – 15.13/80
9. El Paso, Texas – 16.89/80
10. Milwaukee, Wisconsin – 17.82/80
America’s 10 noisiest major cities
1. New York City — 66.46/80
2. Los Angeles — 58.54/80
3. Chicago — 49.08/80
4. Houston — 37.45/80
5. Philadelphia — 37.23/80
6. Seattle — 36/80
7. Boston — 35.51/80
8. San Francisco —34.46/80
9. Phoenix — 32.69/80
10. Atlanta — 32.38/80
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Bluesky @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
