By Hector Andres Acosta Pozo in Short — 23 Oct 2026

Normal Walking Speed: The Numbers Worth Knowing

Normal adult walking speed is 1.2–1.4 m/s. In older adults, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 m/s are the thresholds to know, and 0.1 m/s is a substantial change.

Walking speed is one of the most studied single measures of health in older adults. Here are the numbers worth knowing.

The short version

1.2–1.4 m/s is normal walking speed for adults (Fritz & Lusardi, 2009).
Under 0.6 m/s: poor health and function are more likely.
About 0.8 m/s: life expectancy close to the median for age and sex.
1.0 m/s or more: survival longer than expected (Studenski et al., JAMA 2011, 34,485 older adults).
A change of 0.05 m/s is small but meaningful; 0.10 m/s is substantial (Perera et al., 2006).

Gait speed scale from 0 to 1.6 m/s: under 0.6 poor health and function more likely, about 0.8 average life expectancy, 1.0 or more longer survival; typical adult pace 1.2 to 1.4 — Gait speed thresholds for older adults (Studenski et al., 2011) and the typical adult pace (Fritz & Lusardi, 2009).

Measure it at home

Stand your phone up, walk toward it at your usual pace for 7 seconds, and Step Doctor reports your speed, cadence, step length and left–right balance in under 10 seconds.

Read the full guide: gait analysis at home →