Walking Speed
Comfortable (self-selected) walking speed is a widely used clinical measure of functional mobility. Data are from a meta-analysis of 41 international studies (n=23,111). Percentile spreads are estimated using standard deviations from the NIH Toolbox normative study. Read more on Wikipedia
Data source: Bohannon & Williams Andrews About this study
Walking Speed Norms by Age and Sex (m/s)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 20-29 | Male | 1.03 | 1.22 | 1.36 | 1.49 | 1.69 |
| Female | 1.01 | 1.21 | 1.34 | 1.47 | 1.67 | |
| 30-39 | Male | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.43 | 1.57 | 1.76 |
| Female | 1.01 | 1.21 | 1.34 | 1.47 | 1.67 | |
| 40-49 | Male | 1.1 | 1.3 | 1.43 | 1.57 | 1.76 |
| Female | 1.06 | 1.26 | 1.39 | 1.52 | 1.72 | |
| 50-59 | Male | 1.08 | 1.29 | 1.43 | 1.57 | 1.78 |
| Female | 0.97 | 1.17 | 1.31 | 1.45 | 1.66 | |
| 60-69 | Male | 0.98 | 1.19 | 1.34 | 1.49 | 1.7 |
| Female | 0.88 | 1.09 | 1.24 | 1.39 | 1.6 | |
| 70-79 | Male | 0.88 | 1.1 | 1.26 | 1.42 | 1.64 |
| Female | 0.75 | 0.98 | 1.13 | 1.29 | 1.51 | |
| 80+ | Male | 0.58 | 0.81 | 0.97 | 1.13 | 1.37 |
| Female | 0.55 | 0.78 | 0.94 | 1.1 | 1.34 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults in their 30s, the middle 50% walk at 1.30 to 1.57 m/s for men and 1.21 to 1.47 m/s for women. Comfortable walking speed remains fairly stable through the 30s to 50s, then declines noticeably after age 60; men average about 0.09 m/s faster than women across most adult ages. Scores below 1.30 m/s (men) or 1.21 m/s (women) are typically below average for this age group; scores above 1.57 m/s (men) or 1.47 m/s (women) are above average.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 1.22 to 1.49 | 1.21 to 1.47 |
| 30-39 | 1.3 to 1.57 | 1.21 to 1.47 |
| 40-49 | 1.3 to 1.57 | 1.26 to 1.52 |
| 50-59 | 1.29 to 1.57 | 1.17 to 1.45 |
| 60-69 | 1.19 to 1.49 | 1.09 to 1.39 |
| 70-79 | 1.1 to 1.42 | 0.98 to 1.29 |
| 80+ | 0.81 to 1.13 | 0.78 to 1.1 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is comfortable walking speed measured?
Participants walk at their normal, self-selected pace over a short course (typically 4-10 metres). Timing usually starts after an initial acceleration zone and ends before a deceleration zone, so only steady-state speed is captured. No encouragement or pacing cues are given. Because these norms aggregate 41 studies, exact course lengths varied, see individual study methods for details.
How were the percentiles estimated?
The grand means come from a meta-analysis of 41 studies (n=23,111). Because the meta-analysis reported means and SDs rather than individual-level percentiles, the p5/p25/p75/p95 values were estimated by applying age-matched standard deviations from the Bohannon & Wang 2019 NIH Toolbox study (n=1,320), assuming a normal distribution. This is a standard approximation but may slightly underestimate spread in older age groups.
What is a clinically meaningful change in walking speed?
A change of 0.1 m/s is widely considered the minimal clinically important difference for comfortable walking speed. Changes of 0.05 m/s may be considered a small but meaningful change in older or clinical populations.
Why does walking speed matter?
Comfortable walking speed is often called a 'vital sign' for functional status. It predicts hospitalisation, falls, disability onset, and mortality in older adults. Below 1.0 m/s is commonly used as a clinical threshold for increased risk, though these norms show that population-level medians are above 1.0 m/s until the 70s and 80s.