Association between urban street noise and neighborhood crime: A pilot study

Study Purpose: Chronic noise exposure can adversely impact quality of life. Neighborhood crime also adversely impacts quality of life and is related to average income. However, the extent to which street-level noise influences neighborhood crime in an urban setting is unknown. We conducted a pilot study to determine the influence of average income on the spatial correlation between street-level noise and neighborhood crime rates in New York City. Methods: 60 street noise samples were collected throughout Manhattan using a Q-300 noise dosimeter by Quest Diagnostics. These noise samples were georeferenced and imported into an ArcGIS database. Sample points were interpolated using a noise-decay constant to create a “noise map” for Manhattan. Average income and crime rate data for New York City from the U.S. Census Bureau provided two separate layer maps. These three layer maps will analyzed relative to their geographic coordinates, and three correlation coefficients will be calculated to determine the relationship between each of the following: street-level noise and crime rates, street-level noise and average income, and crime rates and average income. Results: We expect to find high spatial correlations between street-level noise, crime rates, and average income. The correlation between income and noise will help us to understand the relationship between street-level noise and crime rates. Conclusions: This study presents an approach to understanding the geographic and economic influences on the relationship between street-level noise and crime in an urban setting.