Find the median of any list of numbers, with mean, range and sorted order for context.
Type numbers separated by commas, spaces or new lines. At least one number is needed.
The median is the middle value once the list is sorted. With an even count, it is the average of the two middle values — unlike the mean, one huge outlier barely moves it.
median
How to use this tool
Type numbers separated by commas or spaces, for example 3, 1, 4, 1, 5.
The middle value of the sorted list is shown big, with the mean beside it.
If they differ a lot, outliers are pulling the mean — the median is the safer 'typical' value.
Smallest, largest and range show how spread out the data is.
Formula & worked example
For 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 9, 2 the sorted list is 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and the median (4th of 7) is 3. For 1, 2, 3, 4 the median is (2+3)/2 = 2.5.
Limitations — read this before you rely on it
The median describes the centre, not the shape: two very different lists can share a median. It also ignores how far values are from the centre, so pair it with the range or standard deviation for a fuller picture.
Frequently asked questions
The middle value of a sorted list. Half the values are below it and half above it.
The median resists outliers: one billionaire barely moves a town's median income but hugely moves its mean. Use the median for skewed data like incomes and house prices.
Average the two middle values: for 1, 2, 3, 4 the median is (2+3)/2 = 2.5.
Yes, with an even count the median is an average of two values and may not appear in the data.
Only numbers are accepted; remove any words or symbols and separate numbers with commas or spaces.