The 10 Loudest States in the U.S. (And The Most Quiet)

You know those neighbors who are always so loud.

Weekends, weekdays, it doesn’t matter. It seems like they’re always having a party.

If you have no idea what I’m talking about then you’re probably causing the issue. Or you just have really considerate neighbors. Either way, consider yourself lucky.

The rest of us are still trying to get some sleep.

For those of you who are in need of some rest, you might want to avoid living in these 10 states.

We looked into factors like how many people you could run into or how many cars you might see in a square mile. We also figured the average household size and how big houses averaged.

The 10 Loudest States

1. New Jersey
2. California
3. Hawaii
4. Florida
5. Rhode Island
6. Illinois
7. Massachusetts
8. New York
9. Delaware
10. Maryland

For those of you who love to turn your music up (and neighborly inhibitions down), you’ll fit right in these states. In fact, you might even get to set up a neighborhood block party. Because these states love being loud.

If you want to find out who else likes being loud, be sure to keep reading for our full list of loud (and quiet) states.

How We Determined The Loudest States

We ranked each state 1-to-50 in 4 categories:

• Home size (Smaller homes are louder)
• Household/family size (The more people living together, the more noise)
• People per Sq. Mile (The more people, the noisier the state)
• Cars per Sq. Mile (The more cars, the noisier the state)

Realtor.com used there data for average home size. The smaller the home, the more cramped the living quarters. From there, we used Census data to find the average number of people living in homes in each state.

Our data on car registrations per state, came from Statista. From there, we found the number of cars registered per square mile, since some states like Wyoming have a high number of cars per resident but a lot of space to drive those cars without vrooming up the streets. Similarly, we used the most recent Census data to find each state’s population density.

1. New Jersey

Average House Size: 1,740
People Per Square Mile: 1,207
Cars Per Square Mile: 371

New Jersey starts us out as the loudest state. Neighbors with the city that never sleeps, it seems that New York City doesn’t have anything on the state of New Jersey as a whole. That’s because in one square mile, you’ll run into 1,207 people and 371 cars. The number of people is what secures the state’s No.1 spot, but the state also has the second-most cars registered in a square mile. So really that number further backs up the data that New Jersey is really loud.

2. California

Average House Size: 1,625
People Per Square Mile: 251
Cars Per Square Mile: 97

Before going to California, you might want to buy a noise-canceling headset. At No. 2, the state has an average house size of 1,625 square feet. With an average of 3 people living in those close quarters, disagreements are bound to happen from time to time, which generally leads to yelling. In fact, the state has the third-highest average household size with its 2.96.

3. Hawaii

Average House Size: 1,308
People Per Square Mile: 222.9
Cars Per Square Mile: 79

Although many may think Hawaii is quite literally paradise, it’s quite the opposite for those trying to get some sleep. With the lowest average house size of 1,308 square feet in the country and the second-highest average household size of 3.02 people, it’s no wonder the state is so loud.

4. Florida

Average House Size: 1,694
People Per Square Mile: 375.9
Cars Per Square Mile: 148

While the soothing noise of the ocean may be calling to you, Florida is actually loud in other ways that aren’t so soothing. In fact, within a square mile, you’d find 375.9 people and 148 cars. If that wasn’t bad enough, that’s not even factoring the number of tourists that visit practically year-round. Oh, and don’t forget about the spring breakers. If you like your peace and quiet, you might have better success living elsewhere.

5. Rhode Island

Average House Size: 1,688
People Per Square Mile: 1,010
Cars Per Square Mile: 395

Rhode Island is the fifth loudest state in the U.S. It’s really not surprising since there are 395 cars registered per square mile, which is the highest number of cars in the country. If that wasn’t loud and clear for you, then maybe the 1,010 people per square mile are loud enough.

6. Illinois

Average House Size: 1,632
People Per Square Mile: 231
Cars Per Square Mile: 81

With 231.4 people per square mile, it’s not surprising that Illinois is the sixth loudest state. Add to it that 81 cars are registered per square mile and the average house is only 1,632 square feet and you have the recipe for a loud state.

7. Massachusetts

Average House Size: 1,744
People Per Square Mile: 866
Cars Per Square Mile: 278

Massachusetts may be seventh on this list, but it has a couple of stats that make it feel like a No. 3 state. Specifically, the 278 cars and 866 people per square mile. Both numbers are the third-highest in the U.S. Luckily, the average house size of 1,744 helps drown out the noise a bit. Nonetheless, we’re burying our heads under the pillow tonight.

8. New York

Average House Size: 1,764
People Per Square Mile: 419
Cars Per Square Mile: 100

Finally, the home of the city that never sleeps makes an appearance. While New York City may never sleep, the rest of New York does get some sleep. Sure, 419 people per square mile is a little close for comfort, the average house size of 1,764 square feet helps a bit with the noise. But despite the bigger houses, there are still 100 cars registered per square mile. And if you’ve ever visited the state, it can seem like all 100 in that mile are honking their horns. So much for that peaceful walk to work.

9. Delaware

Average House Size: 1,800
People Per Square Mile: 484
Cars Per Square Mile: 222

Delaware is the ninth loudest state in the country. But with 484 people and 222 cars registered per square mile, it can sometimes feel like the loudest overall.

10. Maryland

Average House Size: 1,920
People Per Square Mile: 615
Cars Per Square Mile: 197

Wrapping up the loudest states is Maryland at No. 10. The state has the fifth-highest number of people per square mile with its 615 people. And the 197 cars per square mile comes in at sixth-most in the country. However, its large average house size of 1,920 square feet counteracts these noise-makers enough to land at the 10th loudest.

Summary of the Loudest States

Some people may embrace the loudness of a state, while others are definitely pro-quiet. Wherever you land on this spectrum, hopefully, this list will help you find your perfect place in the U.S. whether it’s loud or quiet.

Author

Amanda Postma

Amanda Postma is a writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog with a focus on creating entertaining content to help you through your job search. She received her BA from the University Of Missouri-Columbia.