Decibel Chart

How loud everyday sounds are, from a whisper to fireworks. The levels are approximate: the real number depends on the source and how close you are.

Level Sound Time per day
30 dB Whispering —
40 dB A refrigerator —
50 dB A quiet dishwasher —
60 dB Normal conversation, a dishwasher —
70 dB Normal conversation, a movie theater —
80 dB A lawnmower, a motorcycle Over 24 h
85 dB A vacuum, a lawnmower, power tools 8 h
90 dB Power tools, a printing press 2 h 31 min
95 dB A chain saw, a bulldozer, a nightclub 47 min 37 s
100 dB A motorcycle, a concert, a sports event 15 min
105 dB A concert, headphones at full volume 4 min 43 s
110 dB A concert, a siren 1 min 29 s
120 dB A siren 9 s
140 dB Fireworks Under 1 s

Time per day is NIOSH’s recommended limit for steady noise at work: 85 dB(A) for 8 hours, halved for every 3 dB more. NIOSH lists no limit below 80 dB(A). General information only, not a safety or medical assessment. Sources: NIDCD, CDC, NIOSH.

Measure the level where you are

What is a decibel chart?

It shows how loud everyday sounds are, from a whisper to fireworks, in decibels (dB). Every 10 dB sounds roughly twice as loud.

How to read it

  1. Find a sound you know. Look down the Sound column for something close to what you hear.
  2. Read its level. The number on the left is roughly how loud it is. Up close it is louder, further away quieter.
  3. Check the time. The last column is how long a day at that level NIOSH’s workplace limit allows.
The decibel chart, from quiet sounds at the top to loud sounds at the bottom.

Measure your own

The numbers here are typical. To see the level where you are, open the sound meter and press Start.

The sound meter measuring a room.

How loud is 60 dB?

About as loud as normal conversation.

How loud is 85 dB?

About as loud as a vacuum cleaner, a lawnmower or power tools.

How much quieter is a sound further away?

Outdoors, about 6 dB quieter each time you double the distance from it. Indoors the drop is usually smaller, because walls reflect sound.