Mean, median and the rest
The average most people mean is the arithmetic mean: add all the values and divide by how many there are. But the median — the middle value when the numbers are sorted — is often more useful, because it isn't dragged around by a few very large or very small outliers. This calculator gives you both, plus the sum, count, minimum and maximum so you can see the whole picture at a glance.
Mean vs median
When data is fairly even, mean and median are close. When there are extremes — a few huge salaries in a list, say — the mean rises while the median stays representative of the typical value. That's why house prices and incomes are usually reported as medians. Comparing the two tells you whether your data is skewed.
Tips
- Separate numbers with commas, spaces or new lines — all work.
- Decimals are fine; use a dot or comma.
- The median is more robust to outliers than the mean.
Frequently asked questions
What separators can I use?
Commas, spaces, semicolons or line breaks — mix them freely.
What's the difference between mean and median?
Mean is the sum over count; median is the middle value when sorted.
Is my data private?
Yes — everything is calculated in your browser.