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How big a problem is noise pollution? A brief happiness analysis by a perturbable economist

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  • Weinhold, Diana

Abstract

We approach the question of the costs of everyday residential noise pollution by examining a series of ‘happiness regressions.’ Following standard approaches, we use a range of socio-economic data to explain respondents’ declared level of life satisfaction, and then add perceived noise pollution into the analysis. In the process we replicate the observed patterns from other studies of this type. We find noise to exert a negative and highly significant effect on happiness, approximately of the same order of magnitude as being disabled. Using some rough and ready calculations, we find the monetary equivalent costs of noise pollution to be on the order of €170 per month per household.

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  • Weinhold, Diana, 2008. "How big a problem is noise pollution? A brief happiness analysis by a perturbable economist," MPRA Paper 9885, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:9885
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Levinson, Arik, 2012. "Valuing public goods using happiness data: The case of air quality," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(9-10), pages 869-880.
    2. Rubén Arrondo & Ana Cárcaba & Eduardo González, 2021. "Drivers of Subjective Well-being in Spain: Are There Gender Differences?," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(5), pages 2131-2154, October.
    3. Zheng, Xian & Peng, Wenwei & Hu, Mingzhi, 2020. "Airport noise and house prices: A quasi-experimental design study," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    happiness; hedonic regression; noise pollution;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand

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