How many miles are 20,000 steps? Walking works out at 8.5 miles, when running it’s around 15 miles.
These figures all vary based on your gender, height, and speed. You can use our calculator to get a personal estimate for how many steps in a mile or keep reading below for more detailed examples and benefits of walking 20,000 steps.
How Far is 20,000 Steps in Miles?
For the average person 20,000 steps walking is 8.5 miles, if running it’s 15 miles.
The average person will take 2,250 steps in a mile. But, this figure varies from one person to the next, so the answer to questions like how many miles is 8000 steps or how many steps is 4 miles will vary.
Several factors will affect the number of steps. Those that have the greatest influence would be gender, height, and the speed at which you walk or run.
A man of average height (5 feet, 9 inches tall) walking at a casual pace will cover about 9 miles walking 20,000 steps and this will take him 3 hours.
The same man of 5’ 9” running at 8:00 min/mile pace, will cover roughly 15 miles in 20,000 steps, taking 2 hours.
A woman, who is an average height of 5 feet, 4 inches tall, walks approximately 2,315 steps per mile. So if she walks at a casual pace, 20,000 steps will take her 3 hours to cover just over 8 miles.
If this same woman were to run at 8:00 min/mile pace, she would cover roughly 15 miles in 20,000 steps, taking 2 hours.
Walking 20,000 Steps
How many miles is 20,000 steps?
Height | Miles | KMs |
4’10” | 7.6 | 12.2 |
4’11” | 7.9 | 12.6 |
5’0” | 8 | 12.8 |
5’1” | 8.1 | 13 |
5’2” | 8.2 | 13.1 |
5’3” | 8.3 | 13.3 |
5’4” | 8.5 | 13.6 |
5’5” | 8.6 | 13.8 |
5’6” | 8.7 | 13.9 |
5’7” | 8.8 | 14.1 |
5’8” | 9 | 14.4 |
5’9” | 9.1 | 14.6 |
5’10” | 9.2 | 14.7 |
5’11” | 9.4 | 15 |
6’0” | 9.5 | 15.2 |
6’1” | 9.7 | 15.5 |
6’2” | 9.8 | 15.7 |
6’3” | 10 | 16 |
6’5” | 10.1 | 16.2 |
6’6” | 10.5 | 16.8 |
Running 20,000 Steps: How Many Miles Is That?
Height | 12 min / mile | 10 min / mile | 8 min / mile | 6 min / mile |
5’ 0” | 10 miles 16.1 KMs | 11.7 miles 18.8 KMs | 14 miles 22.5 KMs | 17.6 miles 28.3 KMs |
5’ 1” | 10.1 miles 16.2 KMs | 11.8 miles 18.9 KMs | 14.1 miles 22.8 KMs | 17.8 miles 28.6 KMs |
5’ 2” | 10.1 miles 16.3 KMs | 11.8 miles 19.1 KMs | 14.3 miles 23 KMs | 18.03 miles 19.01 KMs |
5’ 3” | 10.2 miles 16.4 KMs | 11.9 miles 19.2 KMs | 14.4 miles 16 KMs | 18.2 miles 29.3 KMs |
5’ 4” | 10.2 miles 16.5 KMs | 12. 0 miles 19.4 KMs | 14.6 miles 23.5 KMs | 18.4 miles 29.7 KMs |
5’ 5” | 10.3 miles 16.6 KMs | 12.1 miles 19.5 KMs | 14.7 miles 23.7 KMs | 18.7 miles 30.1 KMs |
5’ 6” | 10.4 miles 16.7 KMs | 12.2 miles 19.75 KMs | 14.9 miles 23.9 KMs | 18.9 miles 30.5 KMs |
5’ 7” | 10.5 miles 16.9 KMs | 12.3 miles 19.9 KMs | 15 miles 24. 2 KMs | 19.2 miles 30.9 KMs |
5’ 8” | 10.5 miles 17 KMs | 12.4 miles 20 KMs | 15.2 miles 24.4 KMs | 19.4 miles 31.3 KMs |
5’ 9” | 10.6 miles 17.1 KMs | 12.5 miles 20.2 KMs | 15.3 miles 24.7 KMs | 19.7 miles 31.7 KMs |
5’ 10” | 10.7 miles 17.2 KMs | 12.6 miles 20.4 KMs | 15.5 miles 24.9 KMs | 19.9 miles 32.1 KMs |
5’ 11” | 10.8 miles 17.4 KMs | 12.8 miles 20.6 KMs | 15.6 miles 25.2 KMs | 20.2 miles 32.6 KMs |
6’ 0” | 10.8 miles 17.5 KMs | 12.9 miles 20.7 KMs | 15.8 miles 25.5 KMs | 20.5 miles 33.0 KMs |
6’ 1” | 10.9 miles 17.6 KMs | 13 miles 20.9 KMs | 16 miles 25.8 KMs | 20.8 miles 33.5 KMs |
6’ 2” | 11 miles 17.7 KMs | 13.1 miles 21.1 KMS | 16.2 miles 26 KMs | 21.1 miles 33. 9 KMs |
6’ 3” | 11.1 miles 17.9 KMs | 13.2 miles 21.3 KMs | 16.3 miles 26.3 KMs | 21.4 miles 34.4 KMs |
6’ 4” | 11.2 miles 18 KMs | 13.3 miles 21.5 KMs | 16.5 miles 26.6 KMs | 21.7 miles 34.9 KMs |
How Long Does It Take to Do 20,000 Steps?
If you have shorter strides, you will take more steps but you will walk fewer miles at the same time as someone with a bigger stride length. If you know your stride length, this will help you get a closer estimate of how many steps it will take you to walk a mile.
Using your height, speed, and stride length, you’ll be able to accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete 20,000 steps.
How Long Does It Take to Walk 20,000 Steps?
If you are trying to plan out your workout and want to know how long it will take you to walk 20,000 steps at your speed. Let’s break it down:
- Walking at 4 mph, it would take you 2.5 hours to complete 20,000 steps
- Walking at 3 mph, it would take you 3.5 hours to complete 20,000 steps
- Walking at 3.5 mph, it would take you 4 hours to complete 20,000 steps
- Walking at 2.5 mph, it would take you 4.5 hours to complete 20,000 steps
How Long Does It Take to Run 20,000 Steps?
When it comes to running, it may be harder to keep a consistent speed. But, you should be able to accurately estimate how long it will take you to complete 20,000 steps. Let’s break it down:
- If you run a 12-minute mile, it will take you two hours to reach 20,000 steps
- If you run a 10-minute mile, it will take you an hour and 57 minutes to reach 20,000 steps
- If you run an 8-minute mile, it will take you an hour and 52 minutes to reach 20,000 steps
- If you run a 6-minute mile, it will take you an hour and 45.6 minutes to reach 20,000 steps
Again, your time will depend not only on your speed but also on your height and stride length. The tables and information above can be used to help you calculate a personalized time.
These calculations are also based on timing for people who begin their step count at zero and don’t stop until they hit 20,000–without doing anything else in between. Depending on your schedule, you may hit 20,000 steps over a day as you go about exercising, work, and running errands.
20,000 Steps a Day and Weight Loss
On average, most people walk around 3,000 to 4,000 steps per day–roughly 1.5-2 miles per day. However, most of this walking is not for exercise. It includes walking around or to stores, going to the bathroom, walking up or downstairs, running errands, etc. To help you increase your daily step count and work toward using walking as a way to lose weight, you will need to incorporate other means of walking.
For example, if you set the goal to walk 20,000 steps in a day at a normal to fast pace, it will take you 2 to 2 and a half hours. For most people, this will burn around 600 to 1,000 calories. In a week, you could potentially burn 7,000 calories.
For some people who have time or fitness constraints, it might be better to set a smaller goal at first such as aiming to walk 3 miles every day. Although it’s a much shorter distance, you’ll still experience health benefits. For more on this, read how many steps in 3 miles.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine states walking four to fives miles — or 10,000 steps — per day can provide a great aerobic workout. If you do this regularly, you can lose weight. You can also keep your blood sugar and metabolism in check, according to the study. A healthy metabolism is key to helping you maintain weight loss and lose the extra pounds that you’d like — even if you skip a day of walking. These health benefits not only apply to adults but also to children and it’s a great way to spend time as a family. For more on the benefits of walking for kids, read how many steps in a mile for a child?
If you increase your step count, possibly to 20,000 steps, that will help you lose more weight. A study conducted by Umar Chaudhry found that people who use a pedometer every day to track their steps end up increasing their step count. The motivation comes from visualizing the step count. In addition, seeing and tracking progress can also help people achieve their goals, the study noted.
If you are just starting and want to walk more, here are a few ideas you can use to help get those steps in:
- Walk your dog for longer than normal
- Don’t park close to the grocery store!
- Visit your local park and walk around
- Take a hike with your family or friends
- Take a walk on your lunch break
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator
- Buy a treadmill or use one at your gym
- Walk to your destination instead of driving or taking public transportation
How Many Steps Per Day Is Healthy?
It depends on your age! 10,000 steps a day is reasonable, but your age is the main factor to consider when setting your goal. For a child to be considered “active,” they should walk approximately 12,000 steps per day. Read how many steps in a mile for a child for more information on exercise needs for kids.
Adults should walk between 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day. See: How many miles in 10,000 steps and How many miles is 12,000 steps?
If you’re over 65, you should plan to walk between 3,000 to 10,000 steps per day, according to the American Council on Exercise.
Are 20,000 Steps a Day Too Much?
If you want to set the big goal of walking 20,000 steps per day but aren’t sure if it’s the right goal for you, talk to your doctor. They will be able to tell you if this goal is good for you or not. If you are average to good health, walking 20,000 steps per day should not be an issue. But if you have a medical problem or are of an elderly age, consult your doctor first before planning to walk 20,000 steps per day.
Will You Lose Weight by Doing 20,000 Steps a Day?
The number of calories burned walking 20,000 steps a day will average an extra 500 – 700 calories. If you eat more, this will not result in any weight loss. However, if you keep the same calorie intake, 500 calories deficit per day works out at a weight loss of roughly one pound per week
Summary
- When walking, 20,000 steps you’ll cover 8 to 9 miles depending on your height and gender
- When running, 20,000 steps you’ll cover around 15 miles
- Walking 20,000 steps will burn on average 500 to 700 extra calories
