Median Calculator
Find the middle value (median) of your data set.
Median
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Enter values to calculate median
What is Median?
The median is the middle value when data is sorted in order. Half the values are above the median and half are below.
How to Find Median
Odd number of values: The middle value after sorting.
Example: {1, 3, 5, 7, 9} - Median = 5
Even number of values: The average of the two middle values.
Example: {1, 3, 5, 7} - Median = (3 + 5) / 2 = 4
When to Use Median
- When data is skewed (not symmetric)
- When outliers are present
- For ordinal data
- Income and housing prices (where outliers are common)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why use median instead of mean?
Median is better when your data has outliers or is skewed. For example, median income is often reported instead of mean income because very high earners skew the mean.
Can median be a number not in the data set?
Yes, when there's an even number of values, the median is the average of two middle values, which may not be in the original set.