Words to Pages Converter: How Many Pages Is Your Word Count?

How many pages is my word count?

There is no single answer, because a page is not a fixed number of words. A common rule of thumb is that a page of 12-point Times New Roman with 1-inch margins holds about 500 words when single spaced and about 250 words when double spaced. So 1,000 words is about 2 pages single spaced and 4 pages double spaced. Change the font, the size, the spacing or the margins and the answer changes with them.

This converter starts from that standard and adjusts for each setting. Wider fonts such as Verdana fit fewer words per line, 14-point text takes more room than 11-point text, 1.5 spacing sits between single and double, and A4 paper is a little narrower and taller than US Letter. The result is a realistic estimate you can use for planning.

How to use the words to pages converter

1. Choose Words to pages, or switch to Pages to words if you know the page count.
2. Enter the number of words or pages.
3. Pick your font, font size, line spacing, margins and paper size. The defaults match a typical school essay.
4. Read the estimated pages, the rounded-up page count and the words per page.
5. Use the quick reference table below the result to compare other word counts with the same settings.

What changes the number of words per page

Line spacing has the biggest effect. Double spacing roughly halves the words per page compared with single spacing, and 1.5 spacing gives about two thirds. Font size matters in a squared way: moving from 12 pt to 14 pt reduces words per page by roughly a quarter, because both the width and the height of every line grow. Margins add or remove usable area, so 1.25-inch margins hold fewer words than 0.75-inch margins.

Font choice matters too. Times New Roman is a narrow font, so more words fit on a line. Calibri and Arial are wider, and Verdana and Courier New are wider still. Headings, bullet lists, images, tables and paragraph spacing all lower the real count, which is why an estimate for plain running text will usually be slightly high for a formatted document.

Common examples

• 1,000 words in Times New Roman 12 pt, double spaced: about 4 pages.
• 1,000 words in Arial 12 pt, double spaced: about 4.5 pages, because Arial is wider.
• 2,000 words single spaced, 12 pt: about 4 pages.
• 5 pages double spaced at 12 pt: about 1,250 words.
• 10 pages single spaced at 12 pt: about 5,000 words.

Tips for meeting a page requirement

• Check the assignment for font, size, spacing and margin rules before you start, because teachers and publishers specify them.
• Plan with words, then check the pages in your word processor, since headings and images change the final count.
• Do not change margins, spacing or font size to stretch or shrink an essay. Readers and graders notice, and many courses forbid it.
• Remember that title pages, references and appendices may or may not count toward the limit.

Words to pages for Times New Roman 12 pt, 1 inch margins

Frequently Asked Questions