How Many Miles is 12,000 Steps? A Simple and Easy Guide

Written by Noleen Arendse
How many miles is 12000 steps

How many miles is 12,000 steps? Roughly 6 miles if you’re using an approximation of 2,000 steps per mile — but this can vary due to different factors which we will explore in this article. 

Adding a daily walk into your routine is a great way to get added exercise and take a break from work, school, or other stressors. Although 12,000 steps seems a lot, it’s a good goal to aim to achieve. Let’s have a look at how many miles and kilometers you’re most likely to cover in 12,000 steps.

How many steps are in a mile?

The University of Wyoming found that the average person’s stride length is 2.6 feet. To make it easy to calculate, they recommended an approximation of 2,000 steps per mile. Although other resources say it’s close to 2.5 feet, the approximation of 2000 steps for a mile is an easy estimate if you don’t have a calculator on hand.

Finding someone’s exact steps in a mile depends on various factors, like:

  • Age
  • Height
  • History of illness
  • Injuries
  • Changes in terrain

For a more personalized number, I recommend calculating your steps in a mile. All you have to do is provide information such as your age, gender, and height.

How many steps in a kilometer?

Walking at an average pace, you will take between 1,300 and 1,400 steps to reach one kilometer. When running, you take around 1,000 steps before completing a kilometer.

Converting miles to kilometers is easy! Since there are 1.6 kilometers in a mile, just multiply the number of miles by 1.6. 

How many miles is 12,000 steps?

Since about 2,000 steps are in one mile, it takes approximately 6 miles to reach 12,000 steps. This number varies depending on a person’s height and stride length.

For example, women typically have smaller stride steps than men. The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center reports that a woman’s average stride length is 52 inches while a man’s stride length is 62 inches. This means that a woman walking 12,000 steps may reach slightly under six miles while a man may walk over six miles.

How many kilometers is 12,000 steps?

If there are approximately 6 miles in 2000 steps, simply multiply the 6 miles by 1.6 to work out the kilometers. This calculation shows that 12,000 steps are approximately 9.6 kilometers.

However, health professionals base this number on the average stride length of 2.6 feet, so it may not be accurate for every person. 

How long does 12,000 steps take?

How long it takes to walk 12,000 steps varies by the individual because each person’s stride length and walking speed is different. For personalized data, use online calculator websites. These websites use information like age, height, stride length, and walking speed to tailor your results.

Below are calculations based on averages, which can give you an idea of how long it will take you to reach 12,000 steps.

How long does it take to walk 12,000 steps?

On average, it takes about 120 minutes or 2 hours to walk 12,000 steps. This calculation uses an average 2.5-foot stride length and an average walking speed of 3 miles per hour.

For leisurely walks (1-1.5 mph), it may take up to 6 hours to reach 12,000 steps. Brisk walkers (4-4.5 mph) take about 80 to 90 minutes to complete 12,000 steps.

How long does it take to run 12,000 steps?

On average, men and women have different running speeds. Eight miles per hour is the typical running speed for a man, while a woman reaches around 6.5 miles per hour. These are the running speeds easiest for a person to sustain for long periods.

According to these speeds, it would take 45 minutes for someone running 8 miles per hour to achieve 12,000 steps. If you run 6.5 mph, you could reach 12,000 steps in 55 minutes, just under an hour.

Steps in miles for running, cycling, and on an elliptical

Elliptical machines are great alternatives to outdoor cardio during the winter months or if you live in an environment with unsafe terrain. Even if your machine has a distance tracker built-in, it may not be accurate.

The same difficulties arise when cycling. Calculating accurate distance per step taken is challenging when you have not even taken steps.

Below are some simple calculations for tracking your steps during non-walking activities.

How many miles when running 12,000 steps?

You reach 12,000 steps after running a distance of between 5-6 miles. The exact results per individual depend on these personal factors as well as external changes in terrain:

  • Height
  • Stride length
  • Step length

On average, women tend to have smaller stride lengths. Thus, they reach 12,000 steps in less distance than a man might.

How many miles is 12,000 steps when cycling?

For a simple conversion, biking at a moderate intensity for about an hour equals 10,000 steps or four and a half miles. However, this conversion may not be accurate. You cannot personalize it.

Thankfully, resources from websites like the Southwest Nebraska Public Health Department offer detailed conversion charts, which give you more accurate calculations. According to their chart:

  • Cycling, easy pace — 130 steps/min
  • Cycling, moderate pace — 170 steps/min
  • Cycling, vigorous pace — 200 steps/min

How far is 12,000 steps on the elliptical?

To find how far 12,000 steps are on your elliptical, first find your machine’s stride length, either on the side of the elliptical or in the owner’s manual.

Next, calculate how many strides equal a mile. Take the number of inches in a mile (63,360) and divide it by the elliptical’s stride length.

It takes approximately 6 miles to reach 12,000 steps. Multiply the number of strides per mile for your elliptical by 6 to find the most accurate result.

More steps in a mile in summary

Below are quick conversions for various amounts of steps and distances based on average calculations.

How many miles is 10,000 steps?

Based on the approximation of 2,000 steps per mile, it takes around 5 miles of walking to reach 10,000 steps. Of course, this will vary between individuals and if they are walking versus running. Double this, to get a rough average for how many miles in 20,000 steps

How many miles is 13,000 steps?

It takes about 5.5 miles to walk 13,000 steps based on the average 2.5-foot stride length. The exact distance per individual depends on other factors like height and walking speed.

Meeting your exercise needs with steps

Many people have difficulty finding time to squeeze in a quick workout with busy schedules. However, you can easily meet your exercise needs by adding more steps to your day.

What are my daily exercise needs?

Your daily exercise needs vary greatly depending on factors such as:

  • Age
  • Diet
  • Medical history
  • Environment

According to the CDC, the average adult person needs about 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This recommendation includes cardio and muscle strengthening activities.

How many steps is enough?

The average American walks between 3,000-4,000 steps a day which converts to about 2 miles.

However, health experts say an active person takes around 10,000 steps each day. While this might seem overwhelming, even adding 1,000 extra steps into your daily routine is a great place to start. To find out the benefits, read how many steps in 3 miles.

Summary

  • How many miles is12,000 steps? Roughly 6 miles.
  • Exact distances vary between people because we all have different stride lengths.
  • Daily walks help you stay active and lower stress levels.
  • You can find more accurate distance comparisons by working out your own steps to miles using a simple calculator.