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Notes -
I've lived on top of a supermarket before. It's not ideal because of all the noise, especially early morning deliveries. Lots of crashing and banging.
Optional IRC appendix BG prescribes a minimum STC (Sound Transmission Class) of 45 between dwelling units. According to the Architectural Graphic Standards for Residential Construction, an ordinary drywall+stud+drywall interior wall has STC of only 30–35, but using four layers of drywall rather than just two yields STC of 45–49, and adding insulation on top of that yields STC of 50–54. Similar methods presumably can be used on floors and exterior walls (though not on windows).
Yes, I'm sure there are techniques for reducing noise between dwellings, or even between dwellings and commercial units.
Chance of them being used and/or holding up are pretty low, except in luxury buildings (and sometimes not even then). And I wouldn't trust anything but concrete for between-floors. Nothing converts a person to single-family detached living like having someone noisy living above them -- there's been shootings over failure to install carpeting.
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