Decibel Chart: How Loud Everyday Sounds Really Are

"How loud is that?" is one of the most searched noise questions, and most decibel charts online give a single number with no source, no distance and no idea of how long is safe. A decibel reading means little without the distance it was measured at. This chart lists everyday sounds with where the figure comes from, and the time you can safely spend at each level under the US occupational health guideline.

How to read this chart

• dBA is the standard unit for sound as people hear it.
• Distance changes everything. For a small source outdoors, doubling your distance lowers the level by about 6 dB. Indoors, walls and ceilings reflect sound, so the drop is smaller.
• Safe time uses the NIOSH recommendation: 85 dBA for 8 hours, halving for every 3 dB louder.
• Figures from the same source can vary a lot between models and situations, so treat every number as typical, not exact.

The chart

The yard-equipment figures come from NIOSH field measurements at the worker's ear and from university studies. In one peer-reviewed study of groundskeepers, the highest levels measured were about 109 dBA for a chainsaw and 106 dBA for a backpack leaf blower. Our guide to hearing protection for mowing and power tools has the details.

Safe time at each level

According to NIDCD, sound at or below about 70 dBA is unlikely to cause hearing loss even over long periods, while long or repeated exposure at 85 dBA or above can. The CDC points out that you can lose some hearing in under half an hour at a loud sports game, in a few minutes at a loud concert and in under a minute near a siren.

Everyday situations that surprise people

• Yard work adds up fast. NIOSH measured a gas leaf blower that gave a worker more than 20 times the recommended daily noise dose over a shift. A battery blower in the same comparison measured much lower, though battery tools can still exceed 85 dBA.
• Headphones. Personal listening is measured as a weekly dose. The World Health Organization's safe listening standard sets 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week for adults. See safe headphone volume.
• Your own home. The EPA has identified 55 dBA outdoors and 45 dBA indoors as levels that protect against interference with activities and annoyance in homes.

Distance: the free protection

Because a 6 dB drop cuts the level to a quarter of the sound energy, stepping back from a mower, a speaker or a firework display is one of the easiest ways to protect your hearing. Our explainer on decibels works through the math.

Measure your own

A validated phone app is good enough to tell a 70 dB room from a 95 dB one. The free NIOSH Sound Level Meter app for iPhone measured within about 2 dB of a professional meter in testing. Measure at the distance your ears really are, and note the time spent there.

Myths worth dropping

• "A decibel number is the same at any distance." Always check the distance.
• "Twice as far means half as loud." It is about 6 dB quieter; sounding half as loud takes about 10 dB.
• "dB and dBA are the same thing." dBA is adjusted to match human hearing.

The short version

Most everyday sounds under about 70 dBA are harmless. At 85 dBA and above, time matters: every 3 dB louder halves your safe time. Yard tools, concerts and firearms can reach dangerous levels in minutes or less. Put distance between you and loud sources, and use protection when you cannot. For the full picture of safe limits, read how loud is too loud?