The Decibel Scale: Visual Guide
Decibels are logarithmic. Every 10 dB increase sounds roughly twice as loud. Here is what each level feels like:
10
Breathing
Near-total silence. Anechoic chamber.
20
Rustling leaves
Whisper-quiet. Empty room at night.
30
Quiet bedroom
Rural night. Soft whisper at 5 feet.
40
Library
Quiet residential street. Refrigerator hum.
50
Light rain
Quiet office. Moderate suburban street.
60
Normal conversation
Background music. Restaurant ambient noise.
65
Laughter
Loud office. TV at normal volume.
70
Vacuum cleaner
Busy road. You have to raise your voice.
75
Busy restaurant
Highway traffic at 50 feet. Hard to concentrate.
80
Alarm clock
Garbage disposal. Noisy bar. Can cause hearing damage.
85
Blender
Heavy traffic. OSHA hearing protection required above this.
90
Lawn mower
Motorcycle at 25 feet. Subway train.
100
Concert
Jackhammer. Power saw. Damage in 15 minutes.
120
Jet takeoff at 100 ft
Pain threshold. Immediate hearing damage.
Health Impact by Level
- Under 45 dB at night: WHO recommended maximum for healthy sleep
- 55 dB constant: Linked to increased cardiovascular stress
- 65 dB constant: Associated with elevated blood pressure
- 70 dB sustained: Can cause hearing damage over years
- 85 dB: OSHA workplace limit for 8-hour exposure
- 100+ dB: Risk of permanent hearing damage in minutes
Measure Your Environment
Find out where your home, office, or neighborhood falls on this scale. Takes 5 seconds.
Measure Now on DecibelMap