Median Calculator
Find the median (middle value) of a list of numbers, with the sorted data.
Change the values and press Calculate to work out your own figures.
Enter numbers to find their median.
Show the working
- Sort: 2, 10, 21, 23, 23, 23, 38, 38
- The count is even, so the median is the average of values 4 and 5: 23
How to use it
Enter numbers to find their median.
Paste or type the numbers separated by commas, spaces or new lines. Results are worked out exactly and shown to 12 significant figures; Show the working lists each step.
Key facts
median = middle value (odd count) or mean of the two middle values (even count)
Why use the median
The median ignores how far the extreme values are from the middle, so it describes a typical value better than the mean when data are skewed, as incomes and house prices are.
Questions
How do I find the median?
Sort the numbers; take the middle one, or the average of the two middle ones when the count is even.
Can the median be a decimal?
Yes, when it averages two middle values.
Formulas
median = middle value (odd count) or mean of the two middle values (even count)
Sources
Limitations
- Up to 5,000 values. Values are separated by commas, spaces or new lines, so write 1250 rather than 1,250.