This U.S. city was ranked the noisiest in America, in a surprise to absolutely no one

New York City has so much to offer, but for those who call the city home, it comes with a few down sides—one of which is noise. And according to hearing health specialist ReSound, which analyzed everything from bumper-to-bumper traffic and flight paths to late-night clubbing and sports stadiums to rank the most ear-splitting urban soundscapes in the U.S., the Big Apple unsurprisingly ranks as America's noisiest city. 

The "City That Never Sleeps" is more like the city that never shushes. Packing over 8.8 million residents into a small area, NYC claimed top marks for sheer population density and entertainment overload. With 858 nightlife spots, 29 live music venues, eight major sports stadiums and overhead aircraft averaging a roaring 61 decibels, NYC residents live with constant auditory stimulation.

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Hollywood might have started with silent films, but modern Los Angeles is anything but quiet. Securing second place, L.A. dominated the nation in gridlock grid-rage, posting the absolute worst traffic congestion score in the study. Throw in 333 nightlife joints, seven major sports stadiums and nearly 10-percent of residents constantly bombarded by transportation noise at or above 60 decibels, and the City of Angels sounds more like a revving engine.

Rounding out the top three, Chicago proves that legendary blues riffs, packed summer festivals and die-hard sports fans come with the price of volume. Chicago actually took the top spot for the highest proportion of residents exposed to heavy 60+ decibels of transportation noise, affecting 11-percent of the population.

The good news is that you don't need to move to a quiet cabin in the woods to save your hearing. ReSound suggests a few easy habit tweaks: keep your headphone volume under 60-percent, stash earplugs in your jacket for concerts and games and give your ears quiet recovery time after a loud night out. Your future ears will thank you—even if your current ones are struggling to hear over traffic.

The 10 noisiest cities in the U.S., according to ReSound

1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
4. Houston
5. Philadelphia
6. Seattle
7. Boston
8. San Francisco
9. Phoenix
10. Atlanta