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_. _.._ 22 Attachment 3 Environmental Sound Page 7 Relationship of Population Density to Sound Level Day-Night Level, dBA % of U5 Population People per square mile (acre) 35-SO 33 Non Urban 45 9 200 (0,3) very light density 50 8 630 (1) light suburban 55 14 2000 (3) small city, suburban 60 19 6300 (10) urban multifamily 65 13 20000 (30) dense urban 70 5 63000 (100) very dense urban The population density of southeastern US neighborhoods is usually less than that for the neighborhoods of a large portion of the people in the United States. Consider some differences in statistics between the LIS as whole and North Cazoliina for illustation. The population density of the 50 lazgest cities in the country (including four with lazge rural azeas within them) averaged 4000 people per square mile in 1980. (Not counting the four cities with large rural areas, the average is 5250 people per square mile.) By contrast, the 17 largest incorporated cities in North Carolina averaged 2200 people per squaze mile in 1983 with the most dense having 2750 people per square mile. Forty percent of the population of the country is concentrated in 88 counties and independent cities, none of which are in North Carolina. The lazgest city in each state averages 13,6% ofthe state population In North Cazolina, the four largest cities combined total only 13.1% of the population. Though these statistics make North Cazolina appear undeveloped, this is not so. Rand McNally defines significant independent "metropolitan" azeas in its commercial atlas. North Cazolina has sixteen "metropolitan" areas, and only six states have more. The population and development are simply more dispersed here than in other states. Also, while the population of this state is spread out with a low density, there are some places where sound levels are higher than expected. These include azeas azound airports and near major highways. However, the population density is a significant factor in consideringappropriate noise criteria for evaluating a community. Some criteria that have been developed to evaluate noise in densely populated azeas are appropriate for the lifestyle and expectations in-those azeas, They are not necessarily appropriate for the southeastern environment and lifestyle.