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

Diana Weinhold

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

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.

Keywords: happiness; hedonic regression; noise pollution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q51 R21 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-08-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env, nep-hap and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/10660/2/MPRA_paper_10660.pdf revised version (application/pdf)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:9885

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