What is the Average Daily Step Count for People?

According to the American Council on Exercise, individuals who track their steps take an average of 2,500 more steps per day compared to those who don’t.

If you’re among the millions striving to reach the commonly recommended goal of 10,000 steps a day, your efforts are well worth it.

Regular physical activity, including walking, provides numerous health benefits, such as a reduced risk of:

• Heart disease and stroke

• High blood pressure

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Depression

• Certain cancers, including breast and colon cancer

But how many steps does the average person take each day? And is it sufficient?

Steps decrease with age

A 2011 review found that adults over 18 take between 4,000 and 18,000 steps per day. Another 2011 review examined children and adolescents, revealing that those under 18 take between 10,000 and 16,000 steps daily. The authors noted a significant drop in daily steps as teenagers approach age 18.

Age clearly influences how much people walk, with younger adults more likely to meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for aerobic activity than older adults.

Males tend to walk more

There is a notable difference in the average number of steps taken by males and females. From childhood through adulthood, males generally walk more. Boys and teenage males walk an average of 12,000 to 16,000 steps per day, while girls and teenage females average 10,000 to 12,000 steps.

This trend continues into adulthood, at least in the United States. A 2010 study examined pedometer data for over 1,000 adults, finding that males took an average of 5,340 steps per day compared to 4,912 for females.

Your job likely plays a role too

Your occupation may significantly impact your average daily step count. In 2012, Jenny Craig conducted a small research project in Australia involving 10 participants, each with a different job. They were given pedometers to track their steps.

Here’s a breakdown of the average steps per day associated with 10 professions, from highest to lowest:

| Occupation | Average steps per day |

|----------------------------|------------------------|

| Waiter | 22,778 |

| Nurse | 16,390 |

| Retail worker | 14,660 |

| Farmer | 14,037 |

| Stay-at-home parent. | 13,813 |

| Teacher | 12,564 |

| Tradesperson | 11,585 |

| Hairdresser | 9,209 |

| Office worker | 7,570 |

| Call center associate | 6,618 |

Keep in mind that this data wasn’t collected as part of a formal, controlled study. It includes data for only one person in each occupation and doesn’t account for important factors such as sex or age.

Still, it offers an interesting snapshot of how average daily steps can vary significantly depending on one’s job.

Numbers vary from country to country

People in different countries tend to have varying average daily step counts. A 2017 study tracked the activity levels of 717,527 individuals across 111 countries over an average of 95 days using smartphones.

Here’s what the study found:

| Country | Average steps per day |

|----------------------|------------------------|

| Hong Kong | 6,880 |

| China | 6,189 |

| United Kingdom | 5,444 |

| Germany | 5,205 |

| France | 5,141 |

| Australia | 4,491 |

| Canada | 4,819 |

| United States | 4,774 |

| India | 4,297 |

| Indonesia | 3,513 |

The reasons for these differences in average daily steps are unclear, but several factors likely play a role, including:

- Obesity rates

- Climate

- Walkability of roads and sidewalks

- Income

See how you measure up

The CDC recommends that adults, including older adults, get a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, per week. A brisk pace is roughly 100 steps per minute, meaning you’ll need to take 15,000 steps per week (a little over 2,000 steps per day) to meet the CDC’s minimum guidelines.

For more health benefits, the CDC suggests increasing that goal to 300 minutes, which equals about 30,000 steps per week (just under 5,000 steps per day).

Remember, this refers to walking at a fast pace, one that leaves you at least slightly out of breath.

While this might not apply to every step you take throughout your day, aiming for 10,000 steps per day is still a good goal to ensure you’re getting enough exercise. Just make sure a portion of those steps involve walking at a faster pace.

If you’re looking to add more steps to your daily routine, try these tips:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

• Park farther away from the door when running errands.

• Walk with a friend.

• Clean your house.

• Take a walk during breaks at work.

• Walk in the mall when the weather’s poor.