Mean absolute deviation calculator
An easy-to-read measure of spread taught in middle school: the typical distance between the values and their mean.
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How to use it
- Enter data (separate numbers with commas, spaces or new lines).
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
MAD = Σ|x - x̄| ÷ n.
Example
Result: Mean absolute deviation: 1.5; Mean: 5; Sum of absolute deviations: 12.
Limits and caveats
- Deviations are measured from the mean, not the median.
- It is usually smaller than the standard deviation of the same data.
Questions about this tool
How does it differ from standard deviation?
SD squares the distances before averaging, so far values count more. MAD uses the distances as they are.
Does it match Excel AVEDEV?
Yes, AVEDEV computes the same mean absolute deviation from the mean.
Is it the median absolute deviation?
No. The median absolute deviation takes the median distance from the median, a different measure that sometimes shares the abbreviation.