Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Statistics 2026
This page collects figures on hearing loss caused by noise: how many people show signs of it, the exposure limits set by NIOSH, OSHA and other regulators, which workers are most affected, how many work-related cases are recorded, and how unsafe listening and loud venues put young people at risk. Most figures are for the United States, with global estimates from WHO, the Global Burden of Disease Study and BMJ Global Health, and national data from Great Britain, Australia and Europe. The newest figures describe 2024 to 2026; the core US prevalence estimates come from hearing tests done in 2011 to 2012, which are still the latest national audiometric data, and are labeled with their year.
By the HearSmart research desk · Updated November 7, 2026 · 54 numbers drawn from 19 publishers and reports
Short answer
About 24% of US adults aged 20 to 69, roughly 39.4 million people, have hearing test results that suggest noise-induced hearing loss, according to CDC. NIOSH recommends limiting workplace noise to 85 dBA over an 8 hour day, while OSHA's legal limit is 90 dBA, and about 27 million US workers are exposed to hazardous noise each year. WHO says over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 are at risk from unsafe listening, based on a 2022 BMJ Global Health estimate of 0.67 to 1.35 billion.
Headline numbers
- 39.4 millionAbout 39.4 million US adults aged 20 to 69, or 24.4%, had an audiometric notch suggesting noise-induced hearing loss in CDC's analysis of 2011 to 2012 hearing tests.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 85 dBANIOSH's recommended exposure limit for occupational noise is 85 dBA averaged over an eight hour workday.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- 90 dBAOSHA's legal permissible exposure limit for noise is 90 dBA for an 8 hour day, with a 5 dBA exchange rate.Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- 27 millionAbout 27 million US workers are exposed to hazardous noise at work each year, according to NIOSH.National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- 17%Mining had the highest share of noise-exposed workers with hearing impairment, 17%, followed by construction at 16% and manufacturing at 14%.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- 14,500US private industry employers recorded 14,500 hearing loss illness cases in 2019, a rate of 1.4 per 10,000 full-time workers.U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 1 billionWHO estimates that over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 risk losing their hearing from prolonged and excessive exposure to loud music and other recreational sounds.World Health Organization
- 23.81%Pooling 17 studies, the researchers found 23.81% of people aged 12 to 34 were exposed to unsafe listening from personal listening devices.BMJ Global Health
Reading the numbers
Noise damage is common and often unnoticed. CDC found an audiometric notch, a dip in hearing typical of noise exposure, in 24.4% of US adults aged 20 to 69, or 39.4 million people. Almost one in four adults who rated their own hearing as excellent or good still had a notch, and 21 million adults with a notch reported no loud noise at work. NIDCD frames the same data as a range of 10 million to 40 million adults, because a notch is a sign rather than a diagnosis.
US limits differ by who sets them. NIOSH recommends 85 dBA over 8 hours and halves the safe time for every 3 dB, while OSHA enforces 90 dBA with a 5 dB exchange rate, so OSHA allows 2 hours at 100 dBA where NIOSH recommends under 15 minutes. CDC notes that about 8% of workers could still lose hearing at 85 dBA over a career, which is why NIOSH advises protection above that level regardless of duration. Australia's legal standard is also 85 dB over 8 hours.
At work, NIOSH estimates about 27 million US workers face hazardous noise each year. Hearing test data from noise-exposed workers show the highest impairment rates in mining, 17%, construction, 16%, and manufacturing, 14%, and a 2025 Journal of Safety Research study found hearing loss in 23% of construction workers tested from 2010 to 2019. Recorded cases are much lower: BLS counted 14,500 in US private industry in 2019, three quarters of them in manufacturing, and Great Britain assessed 50 new benefit cases in 2024 under a strict definition.
Outside work, the main concern is young people. WHO says more than 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 are at risk, drawing on a BMJ Global Health meta-analysis that found 23.81% of young people use personal listening devices at unsafe levels and 48.20% attend loud venues. WHO's guidance allows 40 hours a week at 80 dB but only 4 hours at 90 dB, and its 2022 venue standard caps average levels at 100 decibels.
How many people have noise-induced hearing loss
- 1.
About 39.4 million US adults aged 20 to 69, or 24.4%, had an audiometric notch suggesting noise-induced hearing loss in CDC's analysis of 2011 to 2012 hearing tests.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
The weighted prevalence of an audiometric notch among U.S. adults aged 20–69 years was 39.4 million or 24.4% (6.2% bilateral notch and 18.2% unilateral notch) ( Table 1 ).
- 2.
NIDCD estimates that at least 10 million US adults under 70, and perhaps as many as 40 million, have hearing test results that suggest noise-induced hearing loss in one or both ears.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Based on a 2011-2012 CDC study involving hearing tests and interviews with participants, at least 10 million adults (6 percent) in the U.S. under age 70—and perhaps as many as 40 million adults (24 percent)—have features of their hearing test that suggest hearing loss in one or both ears from exposure to loud noise.
- 3.
Among US adults who said their hearing was excellent or good, 23.5% still had a notch in one or both ears on testing, according to CDC.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
However, 23.5% of persons who self-reported excellent or good hearing (irrespective of noise exposure reported) had bilateral or unilateral notches (5.5% and 18.0%, respectively) (Table 1).
- 4.
About 21 million US adults who reported no loud noise at work, 19.9% of that group, still had an audiometric notch, which points to noise outside the workplace.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
Twenty-one million U.S. adults (19.9%) who reported no exposure to loud or very loud noise at work had an audiometric notch (bilateral or unilateral) (Table 1).
- 5.
In 2019, 13.0% of US adults said they had some difficulty hearing even when using a hearing aid, according to the National Health Interview Survey.
National Center for Health Statistics, Hearing Difficulties Among Adults: United States, 2019 (NCHS Data Brief No. 414) (Jul 2021)
Exact wording at the source
In 2019, 13.0% of adults aged 18 and over had some difficulty hearing even when using a hearing aid, and another 1.6% either had a lot of difficulty hearing or could not hear at all.
- 6.
The Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 estimated that 1.57 billion people had hearing loss of any cause in 2019, about one in five people worldwide.
The Lancet, Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990 to 2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Findings An estimated 1·57 billion (95% uncertainty interval 1·51–1·64) people globally had hearing loss in 2019, accounting for one in five people (20·3% [19·5–21·1]).
- 7.
The same study attributed about 7 million years lived with disability in 2019 to occupational noise exposure worldwide.
The Lancet, Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990 to 2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
In 2019, 7·00 million (4·76–10·06) YLDs were attributable to occupational noise exposure (appendix p 5).
Noise exposure limits: NIOSH, OSHA and other standards
- 8.
NIOSH's recommended exposure limit for occupational noise is 85 dBA averaged over an eight hour workday.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Occupational Hearing Loss (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) for occupational noise: 85 dBA averaged over an eight-hour workday.
- 9.
For each 3 dBA increase above 85 dBA, NIOSH recommends cutting daily exposure time in half.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Noise (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
For each 3 dBA increase in noise level, NIOSH recommends reducing the exposure duration by half.
- 10.
OSHA's legal permissible exposure limit for noise is 90 dBA for an 8 hour day, with a 5 dBA exchange rate.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Occupational Noise Exposure (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
With noise, OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8 hour day.
- 11.
OSHA allows 2 hours of exposure at 100 dBA, while NIOSH recommends less than 15 minutes a day at that level.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Occupational Noise Exposure (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
At 100 dBA, NIOSH recommends less than 15 minutes of exposure per day.
- 12.
US employers in general industry, maritime and longshoring must run a hearing conservation program when workers are exposed to 85 dBA or more as an 8 hour average.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Occupational Noise Exposure (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Standards OSHA requires employers at general industry, maritime, and longshoring worksites to implement a hearing conservation program when employee noise exposures equal or exceed 85 decibels (dBA) as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).
- 13.
CDC notes that even at the NIOSH limit of 85 dBA, about 8% of workers could still develop hearing loss over a 40 year career.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
However, at that sound pressure level [85 dB(A) time-weighted average], approximately 8% of workers could still develop hearing loss, and thus NIOSH recommends that hearing protection be worn whenever noise levels exceed 85 dB(A), regardless of the length of exposure.
- 14.
In Australia, workers must not be exposed above 85 decibels averaged over eight hours at work.
Safe Work Australia, Noise (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Workers must not be exposed above 85 decibels (as an average) over eight hours at work.
- 15.
Australian rules also set a peak limit: workers must not be exposed to noise above 140 decibels.
Safe Work Australia, Noise (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Workers must not be exposed to a noise level above 140 decibels.
- 16.
NIDCD says sounds at or below 70 dBA are unlikely to cause hearing loss even after long exposure.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Sounds at or below 70 A-weighted decibels (dBA), even after long exposure, are unlikely to cause hearing loss.
- 17.
NIOSH states that hearing loss from routine noise exposure is 100% preventable and is best addressed by making the workplace quieter.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Understanding Noise Exposure (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Hearing loss from routine noise exposure is 100% preventable and is best addressed by creating a quieter workplace.
Workers exposed to hazardous noise
- 18.
About 27 million US workers are exposed to hazardous noise at work each year, according to NIOSH.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Occupational Hearing Loss (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About 27 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise at work each year.
- 19.
OSHA cites a CDC estimate that 22 million US workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Occupational Noise Exposure (Jan 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year.
- 20.
About 1 in 9 people in the US working population has hearing difficulty, according to NIOSH.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Occupational Hearing Loss (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About 1 in 9 people in the U.S. working population has hearing difficulty.
- 21.
About 1 in 13 US workers has tinnitus, and 1 in 25 has both hearing difficulty and tinnitus.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Occupational Hearing Loss (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
About 1 in 13 people in the U.S. working population has tinnitus, and 1 in 25 has both hearing difficulty and tinnitus.
- 22.
Across all industries, 13% of US noise-exposed workers tested from 2003 to 2012 had some hearing impairment and 2% had moderate or worse impairment.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hearing Impairment Among Noise-Exposed Workers, United States, 2003 to 2012 (MMWR) (Apr 2016)
Exact wording at the source
Among all industries, 13% of noise-exposed workers had any impairment and 2% had moderate or worse impairment ( Table 3 ).
- 23.
Mining had the highest share of noise-exposed workers with hearing impairment, 17%, followed by construction at 16% and manufacturing at 14%.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hearing Impairment Among Noise-Exposed Workers, United States, 2003 to 2012 (MMWR) (Apr 2016)
Exact wording at the source
The mining sector had the highest prevalence of workers with any impairment (17%) and with moderate or worse impairment (3%), followed by the construction sector (any impairment = 16%, moderate or worse impairment = 3%), and the manufacturing sector (14% and 2%).
- 24.
Hearing impairment cost US noise-exposed workers 2.53 healthy years per 1,000 workers each year.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hearing Impairment Among Noise-Exposed Workers, United States, 2003 to 2012 (MMWR) (Apr 2016)
Exact wording at the source
Across all industries, 2.53 healthy years were lost annually per 1,000 noise-exposed workers (Table 3).
- 25.
Among 1.3 million US noise-exposed workers tested from 2010 to 2019, 23% of construction workers had hearing loss compared with 20% across all industries.
Journal of Safety Research, Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010 to 2019 (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Results: The prevalence of hearing loss within the Construction sector was 23% compared to 20% for all industries combined.
- 26.
Highway, street and bridge construction had the highest hearing loss prevalence of any construction sub-sector, 28%.
Journal of Safety Research, Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010 to 2019 (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The sub-sectors with the highest prevalences for hearing loss were: Highway, Street, and Bridge Con- struction (28%), Site Preparation Contractors (26%), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except Operative Builders) (25%), Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction (25%), and Other Building Finishing Contractors (25%).
- 27.
Fifty-eight percent of the hearing difficulty reported by noise-exposed US workers is attributable to occupational noise, the NIOSH researchers report.
Journal of Safety Research, Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010 to 2019 (Mar 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Fifty-eight percent of the hearing difficulty reported among noise-exposed workers is attributable to occupational noise exposure (Kerns et al., 2018).
Chart
Construction sub-sectors with the highest hearing loss prevalence, US, 2010 to 2019
Noise-exposed construction workers tested from 2010 to 2019, NIOSH Occupational Hearing Loss Surveillance Program.
- Highway, street and bridge28%
- Site preparation26%
- New single-family housing25%
- Oil and gas pipeline25%
- Other building finishing25%
Source: Journal of Safety Research, Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010 to 2019
Occupational hearing loss cases and global burden
- 28.
US private industry employers recorded 14,500 hearing loss illness cases in 2019, a rate of 1.4 per 10,000 full-time workers.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Private industry workers suffered 14,500 hearing loss cases in 2019 (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Of the 14,500 hearing loss illness cases in private industry, 75.9 percent (11,000 cases) occurred in the manufacturing industry.
- 29.
Hearing loss made up 11.4% of all private industry illness cases recorded in the US in 2019.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Private industry workers suffered 14,500 hearing loss cases in 2019 (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
These cases accounted for 11.4 percent of the 127,200 private industry illness cases.
- 30.
Manufacturing accounted for 75.9% of recorded US hearing loss cases in 2019, or 11,000 cases.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Private industry workers suffered 14,500 hearing loss cases in 2019 (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Of the 14,500 hearing loss illness cases in private industry, 75.9 percent (11,000 cases) occurred in the manufacturing industry.
- 31.
An estimated 15,000 workers in Great Britain had work-related hearing problems in the three years 2022/23 to 2024/25, based on the Labour Force Survey.
Health and Safety Executive, Noise induced hearing loss in Great Britain (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
15,000 Estimated number of workers with work-related hearing problems, 2022/23 to 2024/25
- 32.
Great Britain assessed 50 new cases of occupational deafness for Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit in 2024.
Health and Safety Executive, Noise induced hearing loss in Great Britain (Nov 2025)
Exact wording at the source
50 New cases of occupational deafness in 2024 Source: IIDB
- 33.
Occupational noise-induced hearing loss caused about 7.85 million disability-adjusted life years worldwide in 2021, a 104.46% increase from 1990.
Frontiers in Public Health, Global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss, 1990 to 2021, with projections (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
Results: In 2021, the global burden of ONIHL remained substantial, with a total of 7,847,444.59 DALYs (95% uncertainty intervals [UI]: 5,313,648.10–10,980,789.34), indicating a 104.46% increase compared with that in 1990.
- 34.
The age-standardized burden rose more slowly, from 84.28 to 91.12 DALYs per 100,000 people between 1990 and 2021.
Frontiers in Public Health, Global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss, 1990 to 2021, with projections (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
From 1990 to 2021, the ASDR of ONIHL increased from 84.28 (95% UI: 57.62–118.17) per 100,000 individuals in 1990 to 91.12 (95% UI: 61.98–127.20) per 100,000 in 2021 globally, with an EAPC of 0.23 (95% CI: 0.21 to 0.25) ( Table 1 and Figure 1A ).
- 35.
In China, an estimated 80 million of 574 million industrial and service workers were exposed to hazardous noise in 2020.
Frontiers in Public Health, Global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss, 1990 to 2021, with projections (Oct 2025)
Exact wording at the source
In China, 88.8% of enterprises had noise hazards in 2020, and an estimated 80 million out of a total of 574 million workers in the country’s industrial and service sectors were exposed to such hazardous noise ( 8 ).
Chart
New occupational deafness cases assessed for IIDB in Great Britain, 2015 to 2024
Claimants with more than 50 dB loss in both ears; 2020 and 2021 were affected by the pandemic.
- 2015100
- 201690
- 201770
- 201855
- 201995
- 202020
- 202110
- 202285
- 2023100
- 202450
Source: Health and Safety Executive, Noise induced hearing loss in Great Britain
Young people and unsafe listening
- 36.
WHO estimates that over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 risk losing their hearing from prolonged and excessive exposure to loud music and other recreational sounds.
World Health Organization, WHO releases new standard to tackle rising threat of hearing loss (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Reading time: Over 1 billion people aged 12 to 35 years risk losing their hearing due to prolonged and excessive exposure to loud music and other recreational sounds.
- 37.
The BMJ Global Health meta-analysis estimated that 0.67 to 1.35 billion people aged 12 to 34 worldwide could be at risk of hearing loss from unsafe listening.
BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The global estimated number of young people who could be at risk of hearing loss from exposure to unsafe listening practices ranged from 0.67 to 1.35 billion.
- 38.
Pooling 17 studies, the researchers found 23.81% of people aged 12 to 34 were exposed to unsafe listening from personal listening devices.
BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The pooled prevalence estimate of exposure to unsafe listening from PLDs was 23.81% (95% CI 18.99% to 29.42%).
- 39.
For loud entertainment venues such as clubs and concerts, the study used an exposure prevalence of 48.20% among young people.
BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Thus, we fitted a model as a function of intensity thresholds and exposure duration to identify the prevalence estimate as 48.20%.
- 40.
Minors aged 12 to 19 had a pooled unsafe device listening rate of 27.10%, slightly above adults aged 18 to 34 at 23.10%.
BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Prevalence estimates were similar for age categories (adults: 23.10% (95% CI 8.90% to 48.03%); minors: 27.10% (95% CI 21.25% to 33.88%); mixed: 21.55% (95% CI 14.65% to 30.53%)) and income groups (high: 24.51% (95% CI 19.35% to 30.53%); middle: 22.12% (95% CI 7.15% to 51.17%)), although the middle-income group showed substantial variability.
- 41.
The estimate was based on a global population of 2.8 billion people aged 12 to 34 in 2022.
BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Global estimate of individuals at risk of hearing loss from unsafe listening practices In 2022, the estimated global population aged 12–34 years was 2.8 billion.24
- 42.
As many as 17% of US teens aged 12 to 19 had hearing test features suggestive of noise-induced hearing loss, based on 2005 to 2006 data.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
Researchers have also estimated that as many as 17 percent of teens (ages 12 to 19) have features of their hearing test suggestive of NIHL in one or both ears ( Pediatrics 2011 ), based on data from 2005-2006.
- 43.
WHO says people can safely listen at 80 dB for up to 40 hours a week.
World Health Organization, Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (questions and answers) (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
For example, you can safely listen to a sound level of 80dB for up to 40 hours a week.
- 44.
At 90 dB, WHO's safe listening time drops to four hours per week.
World Health Organization, Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (questions and answers) (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
If the sound level is 90dB, the safe listening time reduces to four hours per week.
- 45.
WHO advises keeping personal device volume below 60% of maximum.
World Health Organization, Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (questions and answers) (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
This can be done by setting your device’s volume level to no more than 60% of maximum.
- 46.
In the Apple Hearing Study in the US, average weekly headphone exposure for one in 10 participants was above the WHO recommended limit.
Apple, Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
Average weekly headphone exposure for one in 10 participants is higher than the WHO recommended limit.
Chart
Share of young people aged 12 to 34 exposed to unsafe listening, by source
Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published 2000 to 2021.
- Personal listening devices23.8%
- Loud entertainment venues48.2%
Source: BMJ Global Health, Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Recreational and everyday noise
- 47.
NIOSH lists bars, nightclubs and large sporting events among exposures that average 95 dBA or higher.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, About Noise (Apr 2026)
Exact wording at the source
Exposures that average 95 dBA or higher include: Bulldozers Ambulance sirens Chain saws Bars/nightclubs Large sporting events Other signs Your ears ring or sounds seem dull or flat after leaving the noisy area.
- 48.
WHO's 2022 global standard for safe listening venues and events recommends a maximum average sound level of 100 decibels.
World Health Organization, WHO releases new standard to tackle rising threat of hearing loss (Mar 2022)
Exact wording at the source
The six recommendations are: (1) a maximum average sound level of 100 decibels (2) live monitoring and recording of sound levels using calibrated equipment by designated staff (3) optimizing venue acoustics and sound systems to ensure enjoyable sound quality and safe listening (4) making personal hearing protection available to audiences including instructions on use (5) access to quiet zones for people to rest their ears and decrease the risk of hearing damage; and (6) provision of training and information to
- 49.
In 2014, 11.2% of US adults had tinnitus and 21.0% had difficulty following a conversation amid background noise.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
In 2014, an estimated 21.0% of adults aged ≥18 years had difficulty following a conversation amid background noise, 11.2% had tinnitus (i.e., the perception of ringing in the ears or other sounds such as buzzing, hissing, and clicking), and 5.9% had sensitivity to everyday sounds (hyperacusis).
- 50.
Seventy percent of US adults exposed to loud noise in the past year never or seldom wore hearing protection.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017)
Exact wording at the source
Seventy percent of persons exposed to loud noise in the past 12 months never or seldom wore hearing protection.
- 51.
A quarter of Apple Hearing Study participants had daily average environmental sound exposure above the WHO recommended limit.
Apple, Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
The new insights generated leveraging this unprecedented data demonstrate that 25 percent of participants experience a daily average environmental sound exposure (which can include traffic, machinery, public transport, and so on) that is higher than the WHO recommended limit.
- 52.
In the Apple Hearing Study, 20% of participants had hearing loss by WHO standards and 10% had hearing loss consistent with noise exposure.
Apple, Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
According to data collected using the study’s hearing tests, 20 percent of participants have hearing loss when compared to WHO standards, and 10 percent have hearing loss that is consistent with noise exposure.
- 53.
A quarter of Apple Hearing Study participants reported ringing in their ears a few times a week or more.
Apple, Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (Mar 2021)
Exact wording at the source
And 25 percent of participants experience ringing in their ears a few times a week or more, which could be a sign of hearing damage.
- 54.
About 92 million people in Europe are exposed to harmful day-evening-night noise levels from road traffic, according to the EEA.
European Environment Agency, Noise (Apr 2025)
Exact wording at the source
The latest estimates show that: About 92 million people are exposed to harmful day-evening-night noise levels caused by road traffic.
Questions readers ask
- How many people have noise-induced hearing loss?
- CDC found hearing test signs of noise-induced hearing loss in 24.4% of US adults aged 20 to 69, about 39.4 million people, using 2011 to 2012 data. NIDCD gives a range of 10 million to 40 million US adults under 70. Worldwide, WHO says more than 1 billion young people are at risk from unsafe listening.
- What is the safe noise exposure limit at work?
- NIOSH recommends 85 dBA averaged over an 8 hour day, halving the time for every 3 dB increase. OSHA's legal limit is 90 dBA over 8 hours with a 5 dB exchange rate, but employers must start a hearing conservation program at 85 dBA.
- Which workers are most at risk of noise-induced hearing loss?
- In NIOSH surveillance data, mining had the highest share of noise-exposed workers with hearing impairment at 17%, followed by construction at 16% and manufacturing at 14%. BLS found that manufacturing accounted for 75.9% of recorded US hearing loss cases in 2019.
- How loud is too loud for headphones?
- WHO says listening at 80 dB is safe for up to 40 hours a week, but at 90 dB the safe time drops to four hours a week. WHO advises keeping device volume below 60% of maximum. A BMJ Global Health meta-analysis found 23.81% of people aged 12 to 34 listen at unsafe levels.
- Is noise-induced hearing loss preventable?
- NIOSH says hearing loss from noise is 100% preventable, mainly by making workplaces quieter and using hearing protection. CDC found that 70% of US adults exposed to loud noise in the past year never or seldom wore hearing protection.
Where these numbers come from
We used primary sources only: US federal agencies (NIOSH, CDC, NIDCD, NCHS, OSHA, BLS), the World Health Organization, regulators in Great Britain and Australia, the European Environment Agency, and peer-reviewed studies in The Lancet, BMJ Global Health, Frontiers in Public Health and the Journal of Safety Research, plus Apple's published Apple Hearing Study findings, labeled as company data from a self-selected sample. Prevalence figures use different definitions: CDC's audiometric notch, NIOSH's material impairment, self-reported difficulty in NCHS surveys, and benefit thresholds in Great Britain, so percentages from different sources should not be compared directly. The latest US national hearing test data are from 2011 to 2012 and the teen estimate from 2005 to 2006; both are labeled. Worker estimates of 27 million and 22 million come from different NIOSH survey periods. Every quote was checked against the live source page on the date shown. We store the sentence each number appears in, and a script loads the publisher's page again to make sure that sentence is still there. Our methodology has the details.
Sources
- Apple. Apple Hearing Study shares new insights on hearing health (Mar 2021).
- BMJ Global Health. Prevalence and global estimates of unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis (Nov 2022).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vital Signs: Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Among Adults, United States 2011 to 2012 (MMWR) (Feb 2017).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hearing Impairment Among Noise-Exposed Workers, United States, 2003 to 2012 (MMWR) (Apr 2016).
- European Environment Agency. Noise (Apr 2025).
- Frontiers in Public Health. Global burden of occupational noise-induced hearing loss, 1990 to 2021, with projections (Oct 2025).
- Health and Safety Executive. Noise induced hearing loss in Great Britain (Nov 2025).
- Journal of Safety Research. Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010 to 2019 (Mar 2025).
- National Center for Health Statistics. Hearing Difficulties Among Adults: United States, 2019 (NCHS Data Brief No. 414) (Jul 2021).
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. About Occupational Hearing Loss (Apr 2026).
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. About Noise (Apr 2026).
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Understanding Noise Exposure (Apr 2026).
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (Mar 2022).
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Noise Exposure (Jan 2025).
- Safe Work Australia. Noise (Jan 2025).
- The Lancet. Hearing loss prevalence and years lived with disability, 1990 to 2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (Mar 2021).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Private industry workers suffered 14,500 hearing loss cases in 2019 (Mar 2021).
- World Health Organization. WHO releases new standard to tackle rising threat of hearing loss (Mar 2022).
- World Health Organization. Deafness and hearing loss: Safe listening (questions and answers) (Mar 2022).
Citing this page
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HearSmart. (2026, November 7). Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Statistics 2026. https://hearsmart.org/noise-induced-hearing-loss-statistics
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