DecibelMap is a free, interactive noise pollution map built entirely from crowdsourced measurements. Real people measure real sound levels with their phone's microphone and pin them to the map. Anyone can contribute from anywhere on Earth.
🗺️ Open the Interactive Noise MapNoise pollution is the invisible environmental hazard. Unlike air quality or water contamination, noise doesn't show up in lab tests — but its health effects are well documented.
The World Health Organization identifies environmental noise as the second-largest environmental health risk in Europe, behind only air pollution. Chronic noise exposure above 65 dB is linked to increased cardiovascular risk, sleep disruption, cognitive impairment in children, and elevated stress hormones.
Despite this, most cities have no accessible, public noise data at the street level. Government noise studies use expensive sensor networks covering a few dozen locations. DecibelMap crowdsources the same data from thousands of smartphones at zero cost.
| dB Range | Source Examples | Health Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 30–45 | Quiet room, library, rural area | Ideal for concentration and sleep |
| 45–55 | Suburban street, light rain | Generally comfortable, mild background |
| 55–65 | Urban street, office, conversation | May affect concentration; WHO threshold for cardiovascular risk begins at 55 dB |
| 65–75 | Busy road, vacuum cleaner | Stress response, sleep disruption, elevated cortisol |
| 75–85 | Highway, loud restaurant, factory | Hearing damage risk with prolonged exposure; significant health impact |
| 85+ | Concert, power tools, airplane | Hearing damage within hours; OSHA workplace limit is 85 dB for 8 hours |