My major takeaway from this:
1. Big cities are really boring!
2. Street level has more going on, but some people have to live with quite a lot of noise, higher up is quieter.
3. The world is a much windier place than I realised.
If you just want less human noise, somewhere with a large lot. On my 9 acre lot I can still hear human noise, but usually only big things, which tends to be daytime, and not a lot of it. Oh, and backyard roosters; they're everywhere around here, but only noisy when the sun is up. Vehicle noises carry a long way when people have more horsepower than brains, though; gunshots and fireworks too. Not sure how to avoid those noises. I don't get a lot of artificial light from the neighbors, but there's some; more forest or a larger lot would help.
On the other hand, there's a lot of noise from local wildlife, and wind and rain and hail and other natural phenomenon that creates noise. And sometimes the moon is pretty bright at night. I guess you could live somewhere with caves and avoid some of that, but critters are everywhere.
Quiet spaces are important to some of us, but my bbrother always has music or the TV on. He admits disliking quiet.
The small town where I live has strong no noise laws. You can't generate sound that can be heard outside your yard unless it is gardening noise - during business hours. Noise is one reason I no longer want to live in a city.
I think after having lived in several neighborhoods where noise was 21/7 (almost 24/7, that is, and where no one has consideration for their neighbor), it may be that I simply have grown to appreciate distance from that kind of living.
There's a lot of noise that I can live with, since I'm a pretty flexible person, but I prefer the outside world to be a choice and having that line between one thing and another (headphones are helpful). Equally, I like being able to go out to social places but not specifically having to be social (like cafes).
I live in SF, and when I was dating my GF (now wife), she had an apt on a busy street (Oak Street); I live in an in-law garden unit. The first time I slept over at her place, I got barely any sleep. When she slept over at my place, all she heard was birds, leaves and the very occasional Harley or emergency vehicle. When she slept over, she woke up feeling so much better. So when it came time to move in together, there was no question where she wanted to be!
On that topic: I wish we could have acoustical limits on vehicle noise. Those loud motorcycles with the fat pipes: they seriously need to control those.
Ok when you’re outside you can hear large number of anything. I think thats just physics of sound. I was basing my comparison on living in an big city apartment near ish to a busy road and the only noises that ever bothered me inside were trucks shaking the ground, truck engines, air brakes and motorcycles revving. I literally could not detect passenger vehicle traffic without going outside so I couldn’t even tell if the street was busy.
Some people have different preferences when it comes to housing.
My place overlooks a freeway. I really, truly dislike that freeway. But one thing I do like about it is the noise that it makes, even at night. I find it very hard to fall asleep in silence.
You seem to think the issue is noise, but have you considered noise might just be the most noticeable symptom of general city living? i.e. having much less personal space, nature, privacy, and free time to spend in them?
Noise pollution is my number one. There is simply no way to escape it living in the city, and there are no job opportunities for software engineers on the countryside (not that it's perfect on the countryside either - given all the motor-based tractors, chainsaws, lawnmowers, leafblowers...). I hate it and it's driving me crazy and all I want is peace and quiet, but apparently, that's too much to ask and I'm spoiled and it's all in my head and I should shut the fuck up and stop bothering the noisemakers.
There are many others that I can't think of right now, I don't really keep a list.
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