“How many words is a page?” is one of those questions with an annoying answer: it depends. But there are reliable, widely accepted estimates — and once you know them, you can plan essays, reports, and books with confidence.
The standard estimates
For a typical page using a 12-point serif font (like Times New Roman) with 1-inch margins:
| Spacing | Words per page |
|---|---|
| Single-spaced | ~500 words |
| 1.5-spaced | ~375 words |
| Double-spaced | ~250 words |
These are the numbers most teachers, editors, and publishers assume when they ask for “a 5-page paper.”
What changes the count
Four things move the number up or down:
- Font and size. A 12pt font fits more than 14pt; condensed fonts fit more than wide ones.
- Spacing. Double spacing roughly halves the words per page.
- Margins. Wider margins mean fewer words per line and per page.
- Paragraph breaks, headings, and lists. Lots of white space lowers the count.
Common page-to-word conversions
Using the double-spaced standard (the most common requirement for academic work):
- 1 page ≈ 250 words
- 2 pages ≈ 500 words
- 5 pages ≈ 1,250 words
- 10 pages ≈ 2,500 words
Single-spaced? Double those word counts.
The fastest way to know for sure
Page estimates are useful for planning, but when you need an exact figure, count the words directly. Paste your text into ProseTool’s word counter for an instant, precise count of words, characters, sentences, and paragraphs — no rounding or guesswork.
If you’re writing to a character limit instead (for a bio, tweet, or meta description), the character counter shows your count with and without spaces. And to estimate how long your page will take an audience to get through, try the reading time calculator.
A quick rule of thumb
When someone gives you a page count, assume double-spaced, ~250 words a page unless they say otherwise. Plan your draft around that, write to the word count rather than the page count, and verify the total before you submit. For more on tightening your writing, see how to improve your readability score.