Mean, Median, Mode & Range Calculator
Type or paste any list of numbers and get the four classic summary values — mean, median, mode, and range — plus the sorted list and how often each value appears. Commas, spaces, and new lines all work.
Sorted list & counts
Four averages, four different answers
The mean adds everything and divides by the count — great for balanced data, but a single extreme value pulls it. The median is the middle of the sorted list, so half the values sit above and half below; it barely moves when outliers appear, which is why home prices are reported as medians. The mode is simply the most common value (there can be two, several, or none). The range is max minus min — the crudest spread measure, driven entirely by the two most extreme points.
How it’s calculated
Mean = Σx ÷ n. Median = middle value of the sorted list; when n is even, the average of the two middle values. Mode = value(s) with the highest frequency; if every value appears once there is no mode. Range = maximum − minimum. This is the light version of our statistics calculator, which adds SD, variance, quartiles, and more.
Results update as you type and are for education, not professional advice — double-check any number that matters.
Worked example
For 12, 18, 11, 7, 18, 3, 25, the sorted list is 3, 7, 11, 12, 18, 18, 25 (n = 7, sum = 94). Mean = 94 ÷ 7 = 13.4286. The median is the 4th of 7 sorted values: 12. The mode is 18, the only value appearing twice. Range = 25 − 3 = 22.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting to sort before picking the median — the middle of the raw list means nothing.
- Averaging the two middle values only when n is even — with an odd count there is a single true middle.
- Calling the largest value the range — range is the difference between max and min, not the max itself.
Where it is used
- Homework and test questions on measures of central tendency.
- Quick sense-checks of small data sets before deeper analysis.
- Reporting a typical value when outliers make the mean misleading.
Frequently asked questions
Which average should I use?
Use the mean for roughly symmetric data, the median when outliers or skew are present (incomes, prices), and the mode for categorical or count data where the most common value is the story.
Can a data set have more than one mode?
Yes. If two values tie for the highest count the set is bimodal and both are listed; if every value appears exactly once, there is no mode at all.
How is the median found with an even count?
Sort the list and average the two middle values. For 8 values, that is the average of the 4th and 5th. With an odd count, the single middle value is the median.
Does the order I type numbers matter?
No — the calculator sorts internally. The steps panel shows the sorted list so you can check the median position yourself.
Is range a good measure of spread?
It is the quickest but weakest one, since it uses only the two extremes. For anything serious, look at standard deviation or IQR in the full statistics calculator.