The mean, median, and mode calculator computes all central tendency measures plus range, sum, and count for any dataset. Enter comma-separated numbers to get a complete descriptive statistics summary.
Mean, Median & Mode Calculator
How to Calculate Mean, Median, and Mode
These three measures describe the center of a dataset, each in a slightly different way. Together they give a complete picture of the distribution.
Mean (Average)
Sum all values and divide by count. For [4,7,13,2,1,7]: sum=34, count=6, mean=34/6=5.67. The mean is sensitive to outliers. One very large or small value pulls the mean toward it.
Median
Sort values and find the middle. For [1,2,4,7,7,13]: two middle values are 4 and 7 (n=6, even), so median=(4+7)/2=5.5. For [1,2,4,7,13] (n=5, odd), median=4 (3rd value). The median is robust to outliers.
Mode
The most frequent value. For [1,2,4,7,7,13]: mode=7 (appears twice). A dataset can have multiple modes or no mode if all values are unique. The mode is the only measure that works for categorical data.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between mean, median, and mode?
Mean (average): sum of values divided by count. Median: middle value when sorted — half are above, half below. Mode: most frequent value. For [1,2,2,3,100]: mean=21.6, median=2, mode=2. The median is more robust to outliers (the 100 barely affects it).
When should you use median instead of mean?
Use median for skewed data or when outliers exist. Income data: median income is more representative than mean (a few billionaires inflate the mean). Home prices: median better than average. Test scores with some extremely low/high values: median is more typical.
Is this calculator free?
Yes, completely free with no signup required. All calculations run in your browser.
Is my data private?
Yes. All calculations run locally. Nothing is transmitted.
How is the median calculated for an even number of values?
Sort the values. For even n, median = average of the (n/2)th and (n/2+1)th values. For [1,3,5,7]: median = (3+5)/2 = 4. For odd n, median = the middle value. For [1,3,5]: median = 3.