How Many Words Are on a Page?
The common rule of thumb is 500 words on a single-spaced page and 250 words on a double-spaced page. The real number depends on the font, the font size, the line spacing, the margins and the paper size.
We measured it. In our test, a page filled with plain text in Times New Roman 12 held about 750 words single-spaced and about 380 double-spaced. This guide shows the full table, explains why the rule of thumb is lower and helps you estimate your own pages.
How many words are on a page? The measured table
These are words on one full page of US Letter paper (8.5 by 11 inches) with 1 inch margins on all sides.
| Font and size | Single-spaced | 1.5 spacing | Double-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Times New Roman 12 | 750 | 490 | 380 |
| Arial 12 | 660 | 450 | 330 |
| Arial 11 | 820 | 530 | 410 |
| Calibri 11 | 830 | 545 | 420 |
The same test on A4 paper (210 by 297 mm), which is a little narrower and taller than Letter:
| Font and size | Single-spaced | 1.5 spacing | Double-spaced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Times New Roman 12 | 790 | 530 | 400 |
| Arial 12 | 700 | 470 | 345 |
| Arial 11 | 845 | 565 | 425 |
| Calibri 11 | 845 | 555 | 425 |
How we measured the words per page
A table without a method is only a claim, so here is what we did on 5 October 2026.
- Text. 3,000 words of plain English with short words, 4.4 letters per word on average, in paragraphs of 100 words.
- Layout. 1 inch margins, no headings, no blank line between paragraphs, no first-line indent.
- Fonts. The document was laid out with fonts that have the same letter widths as Times New Roman, Arial and Calibri.
- Count. We counted the words on each of the first three pages and took the average, rounded to the nearest 5 or 10.
The numbers are for a page that is completely filled with text. They are an upper range, not a promise. Your page will hold fewer words if the text has long words, headings, lists, quotes or pictures.
Why the rule of thumb says 500 and 250
The rule of thumb of 500 and 250 words is lower than our measurement because a real document is never one solid block of text.
| What changes | Effect on words per page |
|---|---|
| A blank line between paragraphs | Times New Roman 12, single-spaced, fell from 750 to about 655 in our test |
| Longer words, as in academic writing | Fewer words fit on each line |
| A title, headings and a first-line indent | Lines are used for something other than body text |
| A last page that is not full | The average per page goes down |
So use 500 and 250 as a safe, low estimate when you plan, and use the measured table when you need to know how much a full page can hold.
What changes the number of words on a page?
- Line spacing. It has the largest effect. Double spacing halves the lines on a page: 750 words became 380.
- Font size. One point less gives clearly more words. Arial went from 660 words at 12 points to 820 at 11 points.
- Font. Fonts of the same size have different widths. At 12 points, Times New Roman held 750 words and Arial held 660.
- Paper size. A4 held 2 to 6 percent more words than Letter in the same layout.
- Margins. Wider margins leave a shorter line and fewer lines.
How many words is a page in APA and MLA format?
Both formats ask for double spacing and 1 inch margins on Letter paper, so one full page holds about 330 to 420 words in our test, depending on the font.
| Format | Rules, as given by the Purdue Online Writing Lab | Full page in our test |
|---|---|---|
| MLA | A legible font such as Times New Roman at 12 points, double-spaced, 1 inch margins, first line of each paragraph indented half an inch | About 380 words |
| APA | Double-spaced, 1 inch margins, fonts such as Times New Roman 12, Calibri 11 or Arial 11 | About 380 to 420 words |
We repeated the Times New Roman test with the half-inch indent of MLA. The result stayed at about 380 words, because the indent takes only a few characters per paragraph.
How many pages is 500, 1,000 or 2,000 words?
| Words | Pages by the rule of thumb, single / double | Pages in our test, Times New Roman 12, single / double |
|---|---|---|
| 500 | 1 / 2 | 0.7 / 1.3 |
| 1,000 | 2 / 4 | 1.3 / 2.6 |
| 1,500 | 3 / 6 | 2 / 3.9 |
| 2,000 | 4 / 8 | 2.7 / 5.3 |
| 5,000 | 10 / 20 | 6.7 / 13.2 |
A real document usually lands between the two columns. The guide on essay length goes through 500 and 1,000 word essays in detail. If the text will be spoken, see the guide on words in a speech.
How to count the words before you print
Pages are a rough measure and words are an exact one. When a limit is given in words, count the words. Paste the text in the word counter and read the number next to Words.
Then divide by the number for your font and spacing in the table. For example, 1,140 words in Times New Roman 12, double-spaced, is 1,140 divided by 380, which is 3 full pages.
Frequently asked questions
- How many words is one page double-spaced?
- The rule of thumb is 250 words. In our test a full page in Times New Roman 12 with 1 inch margins held about 380 words.
- How many words is one page single-spaced?
- The rule of thumb is 500 words. In our test a full page in Times New Roman 12 with 1 inch margins held about 750 words.
- How many pages is 1,000 words?
- Two pages single-spaced or four pages double-spaced by the rule of thumb. A page filled with plain text holds more, so it can be as little as 1.3 or 2.6 pages.
- Does the font change the number of words on a page?
- Yes. At 12 points, Times New Roman held 750 words on a single-spaced page in our test and Arial held 660.
- Does A4 hold more words than Letter?
- A little. In our test A4 held 2 to 6 percent more words than US Letter with the same font and margins.