I've lived through all the spectrum of apartments from modest to exclusive and luxurious. One thing does not imply the other, it's a matter of luck + how (un)civilized are the people surrounding you.
You've obviously never lived in a penthouse or a private residence on a 20 acre property. Noise pollution is not an issue in those situations.
Depending on where that 20 acres is, you can get it for less than the price of a coastal-city closet.
You'll have a hard life ahead of you, though.
Yes, one of the things that blew me away about luxury apartments in NYC is the level of soundproofing - both in the windows as well as the thickness between floors/ceiling (a foot plus, iirc).
You're right, haven't experienced anything beyond 10M. I guess at the very top you don't have these issues at all.