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How loud are everyday sounds?
From a whisper at 25 dB to a gunshot at 140 dB, here are the decibel levels of 50 common sounds — sorted quietest to loudest. Anything above 85 dB (the shaded rows) can damage hearing with enough exposure.
| Sound | Level | Loudness | Safe? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rustling leaves | 20 dB | Very quiet | Yes |
| A whisper | 25 dB | Very quiet | Yes |
| A library | 35 dB | Quiet | Yes |
| A refrigerator | 40 dB | Quiet | Yes |
| A dishwasher | 50 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| Rainfall | 50 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| A mechanical keyboard | 55 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| An office | 55 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| A normal conversation | 60 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| An air conditioner | 60 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| Snoring | 60 dB | Moderate | Yes |
| A shower | 70 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A television | 70 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A washing machine | 70 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A portable generator | 75 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A busy restaurant | 75 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A toilet flushing | 75 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A vacuum cleaner | 75 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A coffee grinder | 80 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A garbage disposal | 80 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A gym | 80 dB | Loud | Yes |
| A blender | 85 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A hair dryer | 85 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A diesel truck | 85 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| An airplane cabin | 85 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| City traffic | 85 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A lawn mower | 90 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A motorcycle | 90 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| An air compressor | 90 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A dog barking | 95 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A power drill | 95 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A subway train | 95 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A passing train | 95 dB | Very loud | Limit exposure |
| A jackhammer | 100 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A leaf blower | 100 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A nightclub | 100 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| An angle grinder | 100 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A chainsaw | 105 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A circular saw | 105 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A helicopter | 105 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| Headphones at maximum volume | 105 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A baby crying | 110 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A car horn | 110 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| A rock concert | 110 dB | Extremely loud | Limit exposure |
| An ambulance siren | 120 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
| Thunder | 120 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
| A firework | 125 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
| A jet engine | 130 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
| A stadium crowd | 130 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
| A gunshot | 140 dB | Dangerous | Limit exposure |
Browse by loudness
- Rustling leaves20 dB
- A whisper25 dB
- A library35 dB
- A refrigerator40 dB
- A dishwasher50 dB
- Rainfall50 dB
- A mechanical keyboard55 dB
- An office55 dB
- A normal conversation60 dB
- An air conditioner60 dB
- Snoring60 dB
- A shower70 dB
- A television70 dB
- A washing machine70 dB
- A portable generator75 dB
- A busy restaurant75 dB
- A toilet flushing75 dB
- A vacuum cleaner75 dB
- A coffee grinder80 dB
- A garbage disposal80 dB
- A gym80 dB
- A blender85 dB
- A hair dryer85 dB
- A diesel truck85 dB
- An airplane cabin85 dB
- City traffic85 dB
- A lawn mower90 dB
- A motorcycle90 dB
- An air compressor90 dB
- A dog barking95 dB
- A power drill95 dB
- A subway train95 dB
- A passing train95 dB
- A jackhammer100 dB
- A leaf blower100 dB
- A nightclub100 dB
- An angle grinder100 dB
- A chainsaw105 dB
- A circular saw105 dB
- A helicopter105 dB
- Headphones at maximum volume105 dB
- A baby crying110 dB
- A car horn110 dB
- A rock concert110 dB
- An ambulance siren120 dB
- Thunder120 dB
- A firework125 dB
- A jet engine130 dB
- A stadium crowd130 dB
- A gunshot140 dB
Noise-cancelling headphones
Active noise cancellation (ANC) cuts steady low-frequency noise — planes, trains, HVAC hum — by 20–30 dB, letting you listen at safer volumes.
Over-ear ANC (premium)Best cancellation for travel & officesLink coming soon
Wireless ANC earbudsPocketable, great for commutingLink coming soon
Budget ANC over-earSolid cancellation under $100Link coming soon
As an affiliate we may earn from qualifying purchases. This never changes our data or recommendations.
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Support the project →Sources & accuracy. Reference levels are drawn from published data by NIOSH, OSHA, the CDC, the WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Real-world readings vary with distance, room acoustics and the specific source, so treat every figure as a typical value rather than an exact constant. Last reviewed 2026-08-11.