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Steps to Miles Chart: How Far Is 10,000 Steps?

By Dr. Ahmed Mortuza Saleque · Updated · How we check our content

The short answer

Most adults take 2,000 to 2,500 walking steps per mile, so 10,000 steps is about 4 to 5 miles (6.4 to 8 km). Taller people cover more ground per step: at 5 ft 4 in, 10,000 steps is about 4.2 miles, and at 6 ft it is about 4.7 miles.

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Chart converting step counts from 2,000 to 20,000 into miles, and showing distance for 10,000 steps at five heights
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Steps to miles and kilometres

Walking, using 2,000 to 2,500 steps per mile.

StepsMilesKilometres
2,0000.8 – 1.01.3 – 1.6
5,0002.0 – 2.53.2 – 4.0
7,5003.0 – 3.84.8 – 6.0
10,0004.0 – 5.06.4 – 8.0
15,0006.0 – 7.59.7 – 12.1
20,0008.0 – 10.012.9 – 16.1

By height

Step length estimated as 0.414 × height.

HeightStep lengthSteps per mile10,000 steps
5 ft 0 in (152 cm)24.8 in2,5513.9 miles
5 ft 4 in (163 cm)26.5 in2,3914.2 miles
5 ft 8 in (173 cm)28.2 in2,2514.4 miles
6 ft 0 in (183 cm)29.8 in2,1264.7 miles
6 ft 4 in (193 cm)31.5 in2,0145.0 miles

Enter your own height in the steps to miles calculator for a personal figure.

The formula

Miles = steps × step length in inches ÷ 63,360, the number of inches in a mile. Step length is roughly 0.413 × height for women and 0.415 × height for men. A person 68 inches tall has a step of about 28.2 inches, so 10,000 steps cover 282,000 inches, or 4.4 miles.

Measure your own step length

  1. Mark a start line and walk 20 normal steps.
  2. Measure the distance from the start line to the toe of your last step.
  3. Divide by 20. If 20 steps cover 47 feet (564 inches), your step is 28.2 inches.

Your step lengthens when you walk briskly or run, so runners take fewer steps per mile, often 1,400 to 1,800. For running distances and times, use the pace calculator.

Do you need 10,000 steps?

The 10,000 figure began as a marketing slogan for a Japanese pedometer in the 1960s, not as a medical threshold. Public health guidance is given in minutes instead: U.S. guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week for adults. A brisk 30-minute walk is roughly 3,000 to 4,000 steps, so five of them a week meets the guideline. Any increase from your current level is worthwhile.

Common questions

How many miles is 10,000 steps?

About 4 to 5 miles for most adults. At an average 2,250 steps per mile, it is 4.4 miles.

How many steps are in a mile?

Usually 2,000 to 2,500 when walking. A person 5 ft 8 in tall takes about 2,250.

How many miles is 6,000 steps?

About 2.4 to 3 miles, or 3.9 to 4.8 km.

How long does it take to walk 10,000 steps?

At a brisk pace of about 100 steps a minute, around 100 minutes in total. It does not need to be done in one go.

Calculators for this article

Sources

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