How many city blocks is 1 mile?

How many city blocks is 1 mile?
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The number of city blocks that equal a mile is different in each city. Because there is no standard length of a city block in the United State, blocks vary in length across the country.

In order to determine how many blocks are in a mile, it is necessary to know the average size of a block in the city in question. Urban planners suggest that pedestrian friendly blocks are 300 to 600 feet long. A mile is 5,280 feet. Using the mean of 450 feet from the recommended 300 to 600 feet range, a mile would be 11.73 blocks.

Length of blocks varies greatly, however. In New York, for instance, a the average city block is about 750 feet in long, while in Philadelphia the average city block is 400 to 500 feet long, and in Portland, Ore., the average block is only about 200 feet long.

So in New York one would only have to walk about 7 blocks in order to reach a mile. However, not all city blocks are square, so it is necessary to factor in the walking direction. If the block in question runs the width similar to that of a rectangular block, then calculation should be adjusted accordingly.

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›› Convert mile to city block [East U.S.]


›› More information from the unit converter

How many mile in 1 city blocks? The answer is 0.05.
We assume you are converting between mile and city block [East U.S.].
You can view more details on each measurement unit:
mile or city blocks
The SI base unit for length is the metre.
1 metre is equal to 0.00062137119223733 mile, or 0.012427423844747 city blocks.
Note that rounding errors may occur, so always check the results.
Use this page to learn how to convert between miles and city blocks.
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›› Quick conversion chart of mile to city blocks

1 mile to city blocks = 20 city blocks

2 mile to city blocks = 40 city blocks

3 mile to city blocks = 60 city blocks

4 mile to city blocks = 80 city blocks

5 mile to city blocks = 100 city blocks

6 mile to city blocks = 120 city blocks

7 mile to city blocks = 140 city blocks

8 mile to city blocks = 160 city blocks

9 mile to city blocks = 180 city blocks

10 mile to city blocks = 200 city blocks



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›› Definition: Mile

A mile is any of several units of distance, or, in physics terminology, of length. Today, one mile is mainly equal to about 1609 m on land and 1852 m at sea and in the air, but see below for the details. The abbreviation for mile is 'mi'. There are more specific definitions of 'mile' such as the metric mile, statute mile, nautical mile, and survey mile. On this site, we assume that if you only specify 'mile' you want the statute mile.


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You’ve gone to numerous cities throughout the world, both large and small, and the differences in city layouts have always attracted your attention. You’ve probably pondered, how many city blocks is a mile when traveling across those cities. Block size differs depending on the city or even the direction. One city may only have 8 blocks equal a mile, whereas another may have 15 blocks per mile. The length varies depending on the city and the roadway. Are you curious to know how many blocks is a quarter mile and what is the distance of one city block? If so, continue reading.

1. Is a Block a Mile?

No, a block is not a mile. A block measures approximately up to 260 feet which is equivalent to 0.05 miles while one mile equates to 5280 feet (1.609 km). (See What is a Highway Mileage Sign?)

2. Does 8 Blocks Equal a Mile?

Yes, according to general rules 8 blocks is equal to a mile given that you count the side of the block that is 660 feet long and not the block that is 330 feet away. To know how many city blocks is a mile in little more detail, go through the next segments. 

3. How Long is a Block in Mile?

Usually, a block ranges from 300 to 325 feet. However, the answer to how many city blocks is a mile varies in length across different countries and cities. (See What’s the Difference between Urban Suburban and Rural Regions?)

4. What is a Block in the City?

How many city blocks is 1 mile?
Photo by Erik Eastman on Unsplash

A block can be defined as a small part of a city enclosed by streets that usually contain several buildings and are surrounded by roads. Cities are thus planned in blocks. The term block refers to an essential informal length unit equal to the distance between two streets on a street grid. (See How do Toll Roads Work?)

5. What is the Distance of One City Block?

It is estimated that one city block equals 1,00,000 square feet and there are 16-17 blocks in one mile. The estimated standard distance of one block of the city is 311 feet long. While these are the estimated values, the actual value varies from city to city.

6. How many City Blocks is a Mile?

Blocks usually aren’t of fixed size. They may differ according to street size. Different cities have different block sizes. That’s why we need to know the size of blocks in an area of the city. However, a mile is formed by 15 to 20 blocks. They lack a standard measurement. Every geographical region has a different average city block size. You can calculate it with the help of the given formula.

No of blocks in a mile = No of feet in a mile/size of the block in feet. (See How many yards in a mile?)

7. How is City Block Distance Calculated?

Since you know how many city blocks is a mile, now let’s find out the way to calculate it. City block distance is the distance between points on a city grid road. It calculates the estimated differences between the coordinates of a given pair of objects, dist. (A, B) = |xA-xB |+ |yA-yB|. 

8. Why Manhattan Distance is called City Block Distance?

The name Manhattan distance has been derived from the layout of grids representing the streets situated on Manhattan Island and the paths given in it which show the shortest distance between the two points. This is the reason why Manhattan distance is called City block distance. (See How Deep is 10 Kilometers?)

9. What is the Manhattan Distance Formula?

How many city blocks is 1 mile?
Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

The Manhattan Distance two points (X1, Y1) and (X2, Y2) = |X1 – X2| + |Y1 – Y2|.

Example: a = {(1, 2), (2, 3), (3, 4)}

The maximum Manhattan distance is found between (1, 2) and (3, 4) i.e., |3 – 1| + |4 – 2 | = 4.
Manhattan distance = 4. (See Why is Mathematical Concept Important?)

10. How Long should it take to Walk a Mile?

A person on average takes 15-22 minutes to walk a mile. This depends upon age also. For example, a 20 to a 25-year-old person may take 15-16 minutes while a 40–48-year-old person may take 15-18 minutes. (See How Long does it Take to Drive 1 Mile?)

11. How many Blocks is a Quarter Mile?

The size of the block determines the number of blocks in a quarter mile. Here we are considering 8 blocks in a mile.

So, a quarter mile = two blocks = two furlongs = 1320 feet.  (See What’s The Fastest Mile Ever Run?)

12. Is Walking a Mile a Day Enough Exercise?

How many city blocks is 1 mile?
Photo by Frank Busch on Unsplash

Yes, walking a mile a day is enough exercise because walking as grouped under the cardio category provides us with many health benefits. You will get respiratory as well as muscle benefits. It helps you keep yourself mentally fresh and healthy. Walking one mile a day would improve your body and would help in the prevention of heart attacks and high blood pressure. (See What is Marathon Distance?)

13. Is it Better to Walk Faster or Longer?

It is better if you walk faster as it would help you maintain a good and fit body. It is good for your long-term health. Usually, the higher the physical exertion during walking, the better the health results. A fast pace workout would benefit our body resulting in a long-term age. (Also see How long does it take to walk around the earth?)

How many city blocks is 1 mile?

Alex Williams is a PhD student in urban studies and planning. He is broadly interested in the historical geographies of capital, the geopolitical economy of urbanization, environmental and imperial history, critical urban theory, and spatial dialectics.

Is 8 city blocks a mile?

There is no standard, but in general, 96. Usually a 1 square mile portion of a big city is 8 blocks long and about 12 streets wide.

How many miles long is a city block?

The standard block in Manhattan is about 264 by 900 feet (80 m × 274 m). In Chicago, a typical city block is 330 by 660 feet (100 m × 200 m), meaning that 16 east-west blocks or 8 north-south blocks measure one mile, which has been adopted by other US cities.

How many streets is a mile?

Generally speaking, the distance between avenues is roughly 750 feet, which means about seven east-west blocks per mile.

How many city blocks is a mile in Chicago?

Eight Chicago blocks = one MILE (3200 N) is 8 blocks = 1 mile north of Fullerton (2400 N)...