New construction (at least in the north central US) is minimum 2"x6" studs in the exterior walls filled with fiberglass insulation and pretty significant blown

New construction (at least in the north central US) is minimum 2"x6" studs in the exterior walls filled with fiberglass insulation and pretty significant blown fiberglass insulation in the roof. Most of the noise going between interior rooms is a result of the use of cheap, hollow doors; usage of solid oak doors minimizes sound travel between rooms. Additional noise-damping insulation can be installed between rooms if desired that effectively eliminate all sound travel between rooms. I'd speculate that a well-build modern wood-and-sheetrock house is probably more energy efficient and quieter than an early 20th-century double- or triple-brick house. Also, wood-and-sheetrock is a lot easier/cheaper to replace than brick when a tornado comes along and knocks the house down, which is possible in 75% of the US.