How many steps are in a mile?
About 2,000 at a quick walk, fewer if you run. But at the NHS brisk pace of 3 mph it’s nearer 2,200, and taller people take fewer. One walk tells you your own number.
On this page
How many steps in a mile?
About 2,000 at a quick walk.
In a US study, 31 adults walked a mile at 4 mph. They took 1,936 steps on average. That’s a quick walk: a mile in 15 minutes.
Run, and each step covers more ground. The same group took 1,631 steps jogging at 6 mph and 1,317 running at 7.5 mph.
The NHS brisk pace is slower, about 3 mph. Here, studies counted 108 to 115 steps a minute. A mile takes 20 minutes, so that’s about 2,200 to 2,300 steps.
| Pace | Time for a mile | Steps in a mile |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk walk, 3 mph | 20 minutes | About 2,200 to 2,300 |
| Quick walk, 4 mph | 15 minutes | 1,936 on average |
| Jog, 6 mph | 10 minutes | 1,631 on average |
| Run, 7.5 mph | 8 minutes | 1,317 on average |
Sources: Welk 2000, via Tudor-Locke 2011; Welk 2000
Your next move: use 2,000 as a rough guide. If you want it exact, find your own number below.
Why do my steps per mile differ?
Two things change it: your speed and your size. In the same study, the faster people went, the fewer steps they took to cover a mile.
At the same pace, people who were taller, or had longer legs or a longer stride, took fewer steps.
Think of a big wheel and a small wheel rolling down the same road. The small wheel turns more times. Both still travel the same mile.
So a higher step count than a friend doesn’t mean you walked further. Comparing walks? Compare miles, not steps.
Wondering whether speed or step count matters more for your health? See walking pace or step count.
How many miles is 10,000 steps?
About 5 miles, or 8 km, at 2,000 steps a mile. At 2,200 a mile, it’s nearer 4.5 miles.
| Steps | Miles | Kilometres |
|---|---|---|
| 1,250 | 0.6 | 1 |
| 2,000 | 1 | 1.6 |
| 5,000 | 2.5 | 4 |
| 10,000 | 5 | 8 |
Aiming for about 7,000 steps a day? That’s about 3.5 miles. See how many steps a day for where that number comes from.
Walking to lose weight? See steps for weight loss for how to build up.
How do I work out my own steps per mile?
Take one walk over a distance you know. The steps it takes are your own steps per mile.
Find your own steps per mile in one walk
- 1
Find a mile
Plot a 1-mile route on a map app. Or walk 4 laps of a running track, a few steps short of a mile.
- 2
Note your count
Write down the steps on your phone or watch before you start.
- 3
Walk it
Go at your normal pace, not your fastest.
- 4
Subtract
Your end count minus your start count is your steps per mile.
Now divide any day’s steps by your number to get miles. Say you take 2,250 steps a mile. Then 9,000 steps is 4 miles.
Walk at different speeds? Count your steps on a fast mile and an easy mile, and keep both numbers.
How long does it take to walk a mile?
About 20 minutes at a brisk pace. The NHS says a brisk walk is about 3 miles an hour. You can still talk but can’t sing the words to a song.
Brisk walking counts towards the NHS aim of at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. At 3 mph, that’s about 7.5 miles a week, or 1.5 miles on 5 days.
Not very active now? The NHS says to build up your walking distance gradually.
NHS ways to walk more each day
- Walk part of your journey to work.
- Walk to the shops.
- Use the stairs instead of the lift.
- Leave the car behind for short journeys.
- Walk the kids to school.
- Go for a stroll with family or friends after dinner.
Source: NHS: walking for health
Want a change of scene? Try Nordic walking, which uses poles.
When to speak to a GP
Speak to a GP if:
- You have not exercised for some time, or you have medical conditions or concerns. Speak to them before you start walking more.
- You have chest pain that comes and goes, or that goes away quickly but you’re still worried.
- Your shortness of breath gets worse when you do your normal activities, or when you lie down.
- You feel short of breath and have swollen ankles.
See out of breath when walking for more on this.
Call 999 if you get sudden chest pain or discomfort that does not go away. It can feel like squeezing, pressure, burning or indigestion. Also call if the pain spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, light-headed or short of breath.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have severe difficulty breathing: gasping, choking or not able to get words out.
The same applies if your chest feels tight or heavy, or pain spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw. Also call if you feel suddenly confused, or your lips or skin turn very pale, blue or grey. On brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands.