Steps to Miles Calculator
Calculate how many miles you’ve walked or run by entering your height and the number of steps taken below.
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How to Convert Steps to Miles Walked
If you’re anything like us, then you’ve probably found yourself wondering just how far you’ve walked after continuously tracking your steps all day, every day.
Pedometers and fitness trackers are more popular today than ever, and while they are helpful in tracking your steps, only a few of them track the distance you’ve moved throughout the day.
On average, it takes about 2,200 steps to walk a mile or about 1,000 steps to run a mile, but this estimation will vary based on the length of a person’s stride, which is influenced by factors such as height and pace.[1]
One way to more accurately estimate the distance you have walked is by tracking the number of steps walked and multiplying that by the distance of your stride. This will give you the total distance walked and is useful to estimate the calories you burn walking.
This can be done in a few easy steps.
Step One: Find Your Stride Length
The first step in converting steps to miles is to calculate your stride length using your step length.
The average step length for a person is 2.2 to 2.5 feet, or roughly 41% to 45% of their body height, according to Scientific American.[2]
A step length is essentially the measurement from the heel of your right foot to the heel print of your left foot when you take a single step forward (as opposed to a stride length, which is a measure taken over the span of both feet stepping forward).
On the other hand, you have stride length, which is the distance that you travel in a span of two steps; essentially, the distance of both your left foot and right foot moving forward. Research from The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center notes that women typically have a stride length of approximately 52”, whereas men typically have a stride length of 62”. (8)
Granted, both of these measurements are estimates since many factors can contribute to stride length; some of these include age, the terrain you are on, and how quickly you are moving, to name a few.
While there are several ways to determine stride length, an easy way is to use your height!
For Females:
step length = height (in) × 0.413
For Males:
step length = height (in) × 0.415
So, if you are a female who is 5’9″ (or 69″), you’d multiply that number by 0.413, which equals 28.4 inches of step length. You’d then double that number to find your stride, which in this case would be (28.4 × 2) equaling out to 56.8 inches.
Step Two: Calculate the Distance
Once you have calculated your step length, multiply that by the number of steps walked.
For example, if your step length is 2.4′ and you walked 9,500 steps in a day, that would equal 22,800, which would be your distance in feet.
distance = step length × steps
Thus, the distance is equal to your step length multiplied by the number of steps.
Step Three: Convert to Miles
At this point, the distance found will be in the same unit of measure as the stride length. For example, if the stride length was found using the person’s height in inches, then the stride length, and thus, the overall distance will be in inches.
To convert the distance to miles, divide the final distance by 5,280 (the number of feet in a mile). You can also use a conversion calculator to simplify this step.
You can use this same method to convert steps to km as well.
For example, a person that is 70″ tall with a stride of 31 1/2” (a step length of 2.62′) and walked 10,000 steps will have walked a distance of 315,000″. Convert inches to feet or convert inches to miles to find your final distance measurement.
31.5 inches × 10,000 = 315,000 inches
315,000 inches ÷ 12 = 26,250 feet
26,250 feet ÷ 5,280 = 4.97 miles
An alternative method to finding your distance is to use our pace and distance calculator, which uses your walking pace and total time walked in order to estimate distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
Many fitness guides and influencers have suggested that you should walk 10,000 steps per day to achieve better health and lose weight.[3] While studies testing this number have not been able to validate this number exactly, they do find that on average, people who walk more steps weigh less.[4]
So, how many miles do you walk over the course of 10,000 steps? For most people, walking 10,000 steps is approximately five miles.[5]
With that said, factors such as the intensity level of your walk as well as your stride length will determine exactly how far you walk. The calculator above can adjust for your height to give you a more precise range.
How many miles is 20,000 steps?
As we just mentioned, your stride length and walking intensity will affect the exact distance you walk per step, but most people will walk around 10 miles in 20,000 steps. You can more precisely track your distance using a tracking app on your phone or watch, which uses GPS to track your distance.
How long does it take to walk a mile?
The time it takes to walk a mile will vary from person to person, but on average, a slower pace walk is 20 minutes per mile or more, a moderate pace is about 15 minutes per mile, and a fast pace is approximately 11 minutes per mile.[6]
How long does it take to run a mile?
Just like with walking, the time it takes to run a mile will vary from person to person. An elite runner can run a mile in under 5 minutes, but most people run a mile in 6-13 minutes.[7]
Steps to Miles Chart
The chart below shows the average distance walked for various step-counts. As noted above, this is an approximation and will vary depending on stride length and the walker’s pace.
| Steps | Miles |
|---|---|
| 500 steps | 0.25 miles |
| 1,000 steps | 0.5 miles |
| 2,000 steps | 1 mile |
| 3,000 steps | 1.5 miles |
| 4,000 steps | 2 miles |
| 5,000 steps | 2.5 miles |
| 6,000 steps | 3 miles |
| 7,000 steps | 3.5 miles |
| 8,000 steps | 4 miles |
| 9,000 steps | 4.5 miles |
| 10,000 steps | 5 miles |
| 15,000 steps | 7.5 miles |
| 20,000 steps | 10 miles |
| 25,000 steps | 12.5 miles |
References
- Hoeger, W., Bond, L., Ransdell, L., Shimon, J., and Merugu, S., One-Mile Step Count At Walking and Running Speeds, ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 2008, Jan, 12, 14-19. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232204625_One-Mile_Step_Count_At_Walking_and_Running_Speeds
- Scientific American, Stepping Science: Estimating Someone's Height from Their Walk, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-home-estimating-height-walk/
- Bumgardner, W., Walking 10,000 Steps Per Day for Losing Weight, Verywell Fit, https://www.verywellfit.com/10000-steps-per-day-fitness-weight-loss-3435744
- Tudor-Locke, C., Steps to Better Cardiovascular Health: How Many Steps Does It Take to Achieve Good Health and How Confident Are We in This Number?, Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep, 2010, 4(4), 271-276. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2894114/
- Mull, A., What 10,000 Steps Will Really Get You, The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/05/10000-steps-rule/590785/
- Bumgardner , W., Walking Time for Distances From a Mile to Marathon, Verywell Fit, August 10, 2022, https://www.verywellfit.com/miles-and-kilometers-how-far-is-that-3435412
- Sayer, A., How Long Does It Take To Run A Mile?, Marathon Handbook, November 21, 2022, https://marathonhandbook.com/how-long-does-it-take-to-run-a-mile/