You will not be greatly affected by wind noise on short and low speed trips around towns and cities.
But when doing long trips at highway speeds for extended times with a noise like the high pitched drone of wind can create hearing issues later on in life.
Ear plugs
Always carry some earplugs, keep them handy ie in a jacket pocket, a tank bag or under-seat storage as examples.
There are a variety of ear plugs available, but we have found the 3M or similar foam items without any hard plastic tail is simplest and effective on long journeys.
Remember wind noise is a high pitched constant noise and ear plugs do a good job of removing that constant pitch.
Do not wear electronic ear buds regardless if they have noise cancelling features as they will be sore on your ears on long trips as your helmet should be a snug fit and anything thing that sticks out of your ear will be pushed and press into your ear lobe area or ear canal. Not very comfortable on long rides!
If you want to listen to music, buy a bluetooth headset designed for helmets, you will still hear your music with earplugs inserted!
Is wind noise reduced by more using expensive helmets?
Some helmets are designed better to deal with and reduce wind noise overall but will not eliminate all wind noise.
Various brand names and the cost of a better helmet can improve wind noise levels and this is a good comfort feature on short trips but ear plugs are still recommended to prevent potential issues with hearing loss caused by wind noise.
