Steps to Miles

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Calculating steps and miles

For an average adult (around 5'4"–5'9" and normal weight) walking at a moderate pace (3 mph or 20 minutes per mile), you typically take about 2,100–2,300 steps per mile. A common rounded figure is 2,250 steps per mile.

  • 2,250 steps ≈ 1 mile
  • 5,000 steps ≈ 2.2 miles
  • 10,000 steps ≈ 4.4–4.5 miles
  • 15,000 steps ≈ 6.7 miles
  • 20,000 steps ≈ 8.9 miles

These are solid approximations for everyday moderate walking on flat ground. Faster walking (brisk ~4 mph / 15 min per mile) reduces the count to around 1,900–2,000 steps per mile because strides lengthen slightly. Still, there are some aspects to consider when calculating the steps per mile:

  • Speed — Slower pace = shorter steps → more steps per mile. Faster pace = longer steps → fewer steps per mile.
  • Gender — Women often took slightly more steps than men at the same speed (shorter average height/leg length).
  • Height — Taller people take fewer steps (longer natural stride). The study provided formulas and tables to predict the number in steps.

 

What is the formula and steps for calculating steps to miles?

Distance in miles = (Number of steps × Stride length in feet) / 5,280

  • 5,280 is the number of feet in one mile.
  • Stride length is typically measured in feet (or converted from inches: divide inches by 12).

Alternatively, if your stride length is in inches:
Distance in miles = (Number of steps × Stride length in inches) / 63,360
(63,360 = 5,280 feet × 12 inches per foot)

This works for both walking and running, but your stride length changes with activity:

  • Walking (average pace, ~3 mph): Stride length is shorter.
  • Brisk walking (~4 mph): Slightly longer strides.
  • Running (~6 mph or faster): Much longer strides, so fewer steps per mile.

 

What is 10000 steps to miles?

10,000 steps is a popular daily goal, but the distance in miles varies depending on your stride length, height, gender, walking pace, and terrain. A rough estimate is about 5 miles (about 2,000 steps per mile), but a more precise estimate: 4.4–4.7 miles for most adults (e.g., ~4.73 miles for men with a 2.5 ft stride, ~4.16 miles for women with a 2.2 ft stride). 

 

Steps to miles for walking, running steps

Steps
Average walk (3 mph)
Brisk walk (4 mph)
Run (6 mph)
1,000 steps
0.4 miles
0.5 miles
0.6 miles
2,000 steps
0.9 miles
1 miles
1.2 miles
3,000 steps
1.3 miles
1.6 miles
1.8 miles
4,000 steps
1.8 miles
2.1 miles
2.4 miles
5,000 steps
2.2 miles
2.6 miles
3 miles
6,000 steps
2.7 miles
3.1 miles
3.6 miles
7,000 steps
3.1 miles
3.6 miles
4.2 miles
8,000 steps
3.6 miles
4.1 miles
4.8 miles
9,000 steps
4 miles
4.7 miles
5.4 miles
10,000 steps
4.4 miles
5.2 miles
6 miles
11,000 steps
4.8 miles
5.7 miles
6.6 miles
12,000 steps
5.3 miles
6.2 miles
7.2 miles
13,000 steps
5.7 miles
6.8 miles
7.8 miles
14,000 steps
6.2 miles
7.3 miles
8.4 miles
15,000 steps
6.6 miles
7.8 miles
9 miles
16,000 steps
7.0 miles
8.3 miles
9.6 miles
17,000 steps
7.5 miles
8.8 miles
10.2 miles
18,000 steps
7.9 miles
9.4 miles
10.8 miles
19,000 steps
8.4 miles
9.9 miles
11.4 miles
20,000 steps
8.8 miles
10.4 miles
12 miles

*These are estimates—actual distance varies by your height, stride length, terrain, and exact pace.

How to calculate calories burned?

To calculate calories burned during activities like walking, running, or other exercise, the most accurate and widely used method relies on Metabolic Equivalents (METs).

Relevant variables influencing the number of calories:

  • 1 MET = the energy you use at rest (sitting quietly), roughly 1 kcal (calorie) per kg of body weight per hour.
  • Activities have higher MET values based on intensity (e.g., brisk walking is ~3–4 METs, running at 6 mph is ~10 METs).
  • Factors that matter most: your body weight, the activity's MET value, and duration.
  • Age, sex, fitness level, terrain (e.g., hills), and efficiency slightly affect results, but MET-based estimates are reliable for most people.

Formula

Calories burned = MET value × body weight in kg × time in hours

  • Convert weight: pounds ÷ 2.2 = kg (e.g., 154 lbs ÷ 2.2 = 70 kg).
  • Time must be in hours (e.g., 30 minutes = 0.5 hours; 45 minutes = 0.75 hours).

Common MET Values (from Compendium of Physical Activities):

  • Slow walk (~2 mph): ~2.5 METs
  • Average walk (3 mph, moderate pace, level ground): ~3.3–3.8 METs (often ~3.5 METs used)
  • Brisk walk (4 mph, firm surface): ~4.5–5.0 METs
  • Running/jogging (6 mph, 10-minute mile pace): ~9.8–10.0 METs

Alternative per-minute version

Calories per minute ≈ (MET × 3.5 × weight in kg) / 200

Then multiply by total minutes.

  

Examples calculations of calories burned.

Assume a person weighs 70 kg (~154 lbs) for 10,000 steps we have the following results:

  • Average walk (3 mph) ≈ 4.4 miles.
    At 3 mph, time ≈ 1.47 hours (88 minutes).
    Using MET = 3.5:
    Calories = 3.5 × 70 × 1.47 ≈ 360 calories (gross).
  • Brisk walk (4 mph), same 10,000 steps ≈ 5.2 miles, time ≈ 1.3 hours (78 minutes).
    MET ≈ 4.8:
    Calories = 4.8 × 70 × 1.3 ≈ 437 calories.

  • Run (6 mph), 10,000 steps ≈ 6 miles, time = 1 hour exactly.
    MET = 10:
    Calories = 10 × 70 × 1 = 700 calories

 

Related: Steps to km