Does Living Near An Airport Cause Health Issues?

Answer for "Does living near an airport cause health issues?"

Wendy Burney, Real Estate Agent

eXp Realty, LLC

Have you ever considered living near an airport? Probably not if you are looking for a home in a quiet neighborhood and living near an airport is not a location that strikes you as quiet. Maybe you are actually intrigued by the idea because if you love traveling, now you are just a stone throw away from planes that can take you anywhere in the world.

We can have a whole debate about the pros and cons of living near an airport, but ultimately being healthy and positive is more important than anything. However, very often you hear people associate health problems with living near an airport. Is this true, or is this just a myth to scare people away? Does living near an airport cause health issues?

Buying a home near an airport is as easy as finding a real estate agent, and settling in your new home. However, real estate agents might forget to tell you about the health implication of living near an airport.

A study conducted by Columbia University tried to find a link between pollution from air traffic and health outcomes. There was a link between higher levels of carbon monoxide and increased respiratory problems for residents living within a 10-mile radius of the airport. However, this study doesn’t cover the fact that pollution might occur also because you are living near highways with intense vehicle traffic or near factories. Also, it is important to note that airport areas experience a higher level of urbanization.

In spite of the different factors that might come into play, it is proven that aircraft exhaust contains ultrafine particles that are harmful. Neighborhoods that are located 10 miles away from the airport show a higher concentration of ultrafine particles in the air that might cause respiratory problems.

Steps towards reducing emission levels have already been taken and new policies are in place. Although it might seem like there is not much to do as an individual, there are actual practical steps you can take in order to improve your quality of life. In this situation, if you live near an airport you should consider the air quality of your environment. This can be done by investing in air purifiers or by spending more time indoors and trying to do your outdoor activities further away from the airport for example at a park.

By living near an airport you can really benefit from good traffic and affordable housing so you should not disconsider this option in favor of others. There is a lot of business potential near highways and it makes it easy for people to commute because of the accessibility. If you are interested in living near a highway, contact one of our top real estate agents and you should be on your way to finding the perfect home near the highway.