Decibel Levels of Common Sounds
A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation 60 dB, city traffic 80–85 dB, and a rock concert 105–110 dB. Hearing damage risk starts at 85 dB for sustained exposure (NIOSH), and sounds at 120 dB or more — sirens, fireworks — can injure hearing immediately.
Last updated:
| Sound | Level (dB) | Where | Hearing risk | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal breathing | 10 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC |
| Ticking watch | 20 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC |
| Soft whisper | 30 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC |
| Refrigerator hum | 40–45 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC / NIDCD |
| Moderate rainfall | 50 | outdoors | Safe — Safe at any duration | ASHA |
| Normal conversation | 60 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC / NIDCD |
| Window air conditioner | 60 | home | Safe — Safe at any duration | CDC |
| Washing machine | 70 | home | Low — Annoying, but below the level where NIOSH says damage begins (85 dB) | CDC / NIDCD |
| Dishwasher | 70 | home | Low — Annoying, but below the level where NIOSH says damage begins (85 dB) | CDC |
| Vacuum cleaner | 70–75 | home | Low — Below the 85 dB damage threshold for typical use | NIDCD / ASHA |
| Alarm clock | 80 | home | Low — Brief exposure — not a damage risk at typical durations | NIDCD |
| City traffic (heard from inside a car) | 80–85 | city | Moderate — At 85 dB, NIOSH limits exposure to about 8 hours per day | CDC / NIDCD |
| Gas-powered lawn mower | 80–85 | home | Moderate — At 85 dB, NIOSH limits exposure to about 8 hours per day — wear hearing protection for long jobs | CDC |
| Gas-powered leaf blower (bystander) | 80–85 | home | Moderate — Operator exposure is higher — hearing protection recommended | CDC |
| Hair dryer | 80–90 | home | Moderate — At 88 dB, NIOSH limits exposure to about 4 hours per day | ASHA |
| Kitchen blender | 80–90 | home | Moderate — Short bursts — total daily exposure is what matters | ASHA |
| Shouted conversation | 90 | city | Moderate — At 91 dB, NIOSH limits exposure to about 2 hours per day | CDC |
| Riding a subway | 90–95 | city | Moderate — At 94 dB, NIOSH limits exposure to about 1 hour per day | CDC |
| Motorcycle (rider) | 95 | city | High — About 47 minutes per day before damage risk (NIOSH) | CDC / NIDCD |
| Car horn at 5 m (16 ft) | 100 | city | High — NIOSH allows about 15 minutes per day at 100 dB | CDC / NIDCD |
| Approaching subway train | 100 | city | High — NIOSH allows about 15 minutes per day at 100 dB | CDC |
| Sporting event (stadium crowd) | 94–110 | leisure | High — Peaks can exceed 110 dB — earplugs recommended for full games | CDC |
| Jackhammer (operator) | 100 | work | High — Hearing protection required under occupational rules | NIOSH |
| Personal listening device at max volume | 105–110 | leisure | High — Minutes, not hours — NIOSH allows under 5 minutes at 105 dB | CDC / NIDCD |
| Nightclub or loud bar | 105–110 | leisure | High — A full night out far exceeds safe exposure — use earplugs | CDC |
| Rock concert | 105–110 | leisure | High — A full set far exceeds safe exposure — use earplugs | CDC |
| Chainsaw | 110 | work | High — Under 2 minutes of unprotected exposure per day (NIOSH) | NIOSH |
| Shouting or barking directly in the ear | 110 | home | High — Under 2 minutes of unprotected exposure per day (NIOSH) | CDC |
| Emergency siren (standing nearby) | 120 | city | Extreme — At or above the pain threshold — immediate injury risk | CDC / NIDCD |
| Thunderclap (nearby) | 120 | outdoors | Extreme — At or above the pain threshold | NIDCD |
| Firecrackers | 140–150 | leisure | Extreme — A single blast can cause permanent damage | CDC / NIDCD |
| Firearm at the shooter's ear | 140–165 | leisure | Extreme — A single shot can cause permanent damage — double protection advised | NIOSH |
| Jet engine at takeoff (25 m) | 140–150 | work | Extreme — Immediate injury without hearing protection | NIOSH |
Every value above is sourced to published figures from the CDC, NIOSH, NIDCD or ASHA — linked per row. None of these numbers are invented. Our own calibrated measurements of real environments will be added and marked “measured by us” once recorded.
How loud is 70 dB?
70 dB is about the loudness of a washing machine or dishwasher from a few feet away — clearly audible, slightly effortful to talk over, but not harmful. The decibel scale is logarithmic: 70 dB carries ten times the sound energy of 60 dB (normal conversation), and 80 dB carries one hundred times more.
What decibel level causes hearing damage?
NIOSH’s recommended exposure limit is 85 dB(A) averaged over an 8-hour day. Each 3 dB above that halves the safe duration: 88 dB is safe for about 4 hours, 94 dB for about an hour, 100 dB for about 15 minutes. At 120 dB and above, sound can cause immediate injury. The WHO additionally recommends keeping average road-traffic noise exposure below 53 dB Lden to avoid broader health effects — see the city sound map for how major cities compare.
Measure it yourself
Use the free online decibel meter to estimate the level around you right now — it runs in your browser and records nothing.
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How to cite this page:
Decibel Shield. "Decibel Levels of Common Sounds." decibelshield.app, 2026, https://decibelshield.app/decibel-levels-chart/. Accessed [date].