How to find the median in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=MEDIAN(B2:B11)Use MEDIAN: =MEDIAN(B2:B11) returns the middle value, or the average of the two middle values for an even count.
- Result on the example
- $301,500 in
E1 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in E1. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
MEDIAN sorts the values and takes the middle. With ten homes there are two middle values, $298,000 and $305,000, so the median is their average, $301,500. The $1.45 million sale barely moves it, which is why medians are used for prices and incomes.
=MEDIAN(B2:B11)Result301500
B2:B1110 rows × 1 col: $285,000, $312,500, $298,000, $1,450,000, …A range: 10 cells in one column.
MEDIAN(B2:B11)301500MEDIAN: Middle value of the numbers.- number1
B2:B1110 rows × 1 col: $285,000, $312,500, $298,000, $1,450,000, …
- number1
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =MEDIAN(B2:B11). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns $301,500.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =AVERAGE(B2:B11) | $414,000Different result | The mean, for comparison. Pulled up by the one expensive home: $414,000. |
Common mistakes
- The data doesn't need sorting; MEDIAN sorts internally.
- Blank cells and text are ignored, but zeros count. A 0 used for "unknown" lowers the median.
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Find the median
E1, find the median sale price of the homes in B2:B11.Questions
How do I find the median with a condition?
Use FILTER inside MEDIAN: =MEDIAN(FILTER(B2:B11,A2:A11<>"H-04")).
How do I find the quartiles?
Use =QUARTILE.INC(B2:B11,1) for the first quartile and 3 for the third.
Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.