How loud is 30 decibels?
30 dB is a whisper. It is the level the World Health Organization uses as a target for bedrooms at night, because sleep is rarely disturbed below it.
- Sounds like
- A soft whisper
- Loudness
- Very quiet
- Safe per day (NIOSH)
- No limit
- OSHA workplace limit
- Below the limit
30 dB on the decibel scale
Tap another sound to compare- Safe · under 65 dB
- Caution · 65–85 dB
- Risk · over 85 dB
What 30 dB sounds like
- A soft whisper at 1–2 m
- A quiet bedroom at night
- A quiet rural area
A quiet bedroom with the windows closed, a library reading room late in the day, a calm countryside evening.
Is 30 dB safe?
Yes. 30 dB is well below the level where hearing damage starts, so you can be around it all day. This is a level most people find restful.
30 dB compared with other sounds
| Compared with | Difference | Sounds | Sound energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conversation (60 dB) | −30 dB | 8× quieter | 1,000× less |
| Heavy traffic (85 dB) | −55 dB | 45× quieter | 316,228× less |
| Concert (110 dB) | −80 dB | 256× quieter | 100,000,000× less |
| Threshold of pain (130 dB) | −100 dB | 1,024× quieter | 10,000,000,000× less |
Rule of thumb: +10 dB sounds about twice as loud and carries ten times the energy. See what is a decibel.
How to check if a sound is 30 dB
Open the free online decibel meter on this site and allow the microphone. Hold your phone or laptop where your ears would be, wait a few seconds, and read the average rather than the momentary number. For a reliable, calibrated reading you can save or show to someone else, use the Decibel Meter app on iPhone.