Are you more likely to hear your upstairs neighbor than your downstairs neighbor?

I lived in apartments for one year and while I often heard noise from upstairs, I don’t ever remember hearing noise from downstairs. But then, I don’t know if it was because my downstairs neighbour was quieter than the upstairs one, or not. It often sounded like my upstairs neighbour was moving furniture around.

The noisiest part was the water-pipes. I could always tell when upstairs neighbour was using the sink, or the toilet… >.< I didn’t get any of those noises from downstairs but I’m sure they got mine.

Yes, in the apartments I have lived in, it is much easier to hear your upstairs neighbor.

Here is a natural answer. When humans stand, our ears are closer to the ceiling, rather than the floor. This is one reason why we hear the noise from up above and not below.

The people upstairs walk on their floor, so they’re basically walking on your ceiling. The people downstairs walk on their floor, which isn’t so directly connected to your apartment – their footsteps will resonate on the apartment below theirs, not yours.

I live on the bottom floor and I am much happier now that I am on the top floor!! No one walking on your head.

Its possible to hear your downstairs neighbor, especially when they have big speakers. But you hear more of the noises from upstairs because they’re walking around and moving furniture and vacuuming on your ceiling.

Oh God, this brings back memories of my apartment living waay back in my 20’s. Yes..upstairs seems to transfer downstairs much more. I had an Iranian neighbor that used to beat his wife about once a week, and a super pervy guy that made me creeped out every time I ran a bath or flushed the toilet. lol

Now, and for the last 20 years, my neighbors are truly NEIGH-bors…just horses and donkeys outside my window now. lol

Phew! Ok, thanks guys. Guess it’s a good think I have the basement apartment!

The footsteps are the worst part. Anything else I’m ok with. I think I hear more from the people above me, probably just because they’re louder. The people next to me are pretty quiet, so that’s good.