Everyone knows that New York is the city that doesn’t sleep. If you have never been to New York, you may wonder why that is. The answer is simple- there is always something going on and the city is simply too loud.
That’s right. 24 hours a day, 365 days a year New York is full of various sounds from the constant hustle and bustle of the highly populated city. Of course, this should almost be expected for the most densely populated city in the United States. The population, animals, constant traffic, and overall busyness of the city are only parts of what makes New York so loud. There is also constant construction that New York undergoes and the subway trains that endlessly line the city. Not to mention the three major airports, JFK, LGA, and EWR that greatly contribute to the never ending sounds of New York. Essentially, whether you are in the city, underground, on the water, and even in the sky- there is no silence in New York.
With all these different factors combined, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that New York has thousands of noise complaints every year. 3-1-1 is the magic number for a New York resident to make a noise complaint for an endless number of reasons. The number of noise complaints for New York has always been high, yet 2020 has seen a skyrocketing in this statistic. But why?
First, let’s compare some statistics.
In 2019 there were over 26,000 New York noise complaints in February. 2020 has seen higher statistics, at almost 28,000 New York noise complaints. So more complaints in 2020, but the difference is nothing too crazy.
Now fast forward to May. In May of 2019 there were over 40,000 New York noise complaints. What about May of 2020, you may be asking? Over 77,000 complaints. That is an increase of over 92%. June follows this trend too- with over 105,000 New York noise complaints in 2020 as compared to over 58,000 in 2019.
Let’s break this down with even more New York noise complaint statistics. That is an increase in noise complaints of over 106% from 2019 to 2020. Plus, a 279% increase in total noise complaints from February 2020 to June 2020. All of these are astronomical jumps when compared to the normal year to year increases of sound complaints in New York. So why the huge jumps? And what are the noise complaints about?
The increase in NYC noise complaints cannot be linked back to just one factor. There are a few significant worldly changes that have occurred this year that contribute to these large increases in sound statistics. These factors include COVID-19, the George Floyd protests, political instability, and more.
It has become clear that there is no limit to the impacts that COVID-19 has had on our world over the past few months. It has touched every country, every state, every business, and every person and impacted each in significant ways. For New York, the impact of COVID-19 has been huge and extremely far-reaching. One of these impacts, however, is an impact on NYC Noise.
As a result of the spread of COVID-19, quarantines and lockdowns were put in place within New York. When were these lockdowns put into place, you ask? March- the exact time that the noise complaints in New York began to exponentially increase. This is most likely a direct result of so many people working from home. With so many people at home (and in need of a quiet space to work), it should come as no surprise that more complaints are being phoned in. Noisy neighbors, busy streets, and all of the other New York sounds we mentioned before have always been there- but now everyone is home more often to hear them.
Another huge contributor to the increase in New York noise complaints are the George Floyd protests. If COVID-19 wasn’t already enough- a new noise source entered the game at the end of May, and has rocked New York, and the world. From the beginning of May to the end of June, a 79% increase was found in noise complaints. That is likely because of the immense involvement that New York and its residents have had in the George Floyd protests. People from all over New York (and all over the world for that matter) have taken to the streets to express their unrest. With the congregations of people collectively fighting for a cause, sound is inevitable. So once again, one of the loudest cities in the world has gotten louder.
One of the final factors that have contributed to an increase in New York noise complaints is the overall political instability and uncertainty of the current day. COVID-19 has had jaw-dropping effects on the economy and on the employment of so many people nationwide. The George Floyd protests have created movements and political questioning like never seen before. Not to mention, it is an election year. Anyone of these factors would have had a huge impact on the general population and their presence in New York. And no matter how you view these different subjects- there is one thing that is certain- all together, these factors make for one loud New York.
Whether it was complaints of loud music, fireworks, traffic, talking, construction, gatherings, or anything else for that matter- there is no question that more people are complaining about the infamous noise of New York. Unfortunately for many of these people, there are not a ton of options when it comes to changing these factors too. The traffic is going to be heavy, the construction is going to continue, and people are going to be out and about and will be loud. Plus, there is no predictable end to factors like COVID and protests.
So while you can’t change the noises outside, you can change how the noises get in.
CitiQuiet specializes in the soundproofing of windows, particularly those of New York homes, apartments, businesses, and more. So if you are one of the thousands of people who are dealing with intolerably loud and distracting noises in your New York space, give us a call to find out how we can help!
New York is the city that never sleeps, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t. Learn more about how CitiQuiet can help you achieve a quieter, more relaxing environment with effective soundproofing today!
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