Calories Burned Walking a Mile

Quick Answer
Walking one mile burns approximately 72 to 130 calories for most adults.
At 130 lbs: ~72 cal  ·  At 155 lbs: ~86 cal  ·  At 180 lbs: ~100 cal  ·  At 205 lbs: ~114 cal  ·  At 230 lbs: ~128 cal

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Calories Burned Walking a Mile: By Weight and Pace

These figures use MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) values from the Compendium of Physical Activities. The highlighted column is moderate pace, the most common walking speed for adults. Body weight is the dominant factor: pace has a smaller effect on calories per mile than most people expect.

Body Weight Leisurely
2.0 mph		 Easy
2.5 mph		 Moderate
3.0 mph		 Brisk
3.5 mph		 Power Walk
4.0 mph
120 lbs6062677485
130 lbs6567728092
140 lbs7072788699
150 lbs75778392106
160 lbs80828998113
170 lbs858795105120
180 lbs9093100111128
190 lbs9598106117135
200 lbs100103111123142
210 lbs105108117129149
220 lbs110113122135156
230 lbs115118128142163
250 lbs125129139154177

Calories rounded to the nearest whole number. Figures assume flat terrain and average fitness. Use the calculator above to factor in terrain and fitness level.

Why Body Weight Matters More Than Pace

Most people assume that walking faster burns significantly more calories per mile. It does not, at least not in the way they expect. Calorie burn per mile is primarily driven by how much mass you are moving through space. A 200 lb person burns roughly 65 percent more calories per mile than a 120 lb person walking the same route at the same pace.

Pace changes how long the walk takes, which affects total calorie burn for a fixed time period. If you walk briskly for 30 minutes, you cover more miles and burn more calories in total. But per mile, the difference between a 2.5 mph stroll and a 4.0 mph power walk is only around 20 to 25 percent. The bigger lever is your weight.

This is actually good news. It means that heavier adults starting a walking programme burn more calories per mile than lighter walkers doing the same route. Walking is self-calibrating in a genuinely useful way.

Want to see your total burn for any distance? The walking calorie calculator accounts for distance, pace, terrain, and body weight together.

Related guides:

How Far to Walk to Burn 100 to 500 Calories

Based on moderate pace (3.0 mph). Miles required decrease as body weight increases because heavier adults burn more calories per mile.

Calorie Target 130 lbs 155 lbs 180 lbs 205 lbs 230 lbs
100 calories1.4 mi1.2 mi1.0 mi0.9 mi0.8 mi
200 calories2.8 mi2.3 mi2.0 mi1.8 mi1.6 mi
300 calories4.2 mi3.5 mi3.0 mi2.6 mi2.3 mi
400 calories5.6 mi4.7 mi4.0 mi3.5 mi3.1 mi
500 calories6.9 mi5.8 mi5.0 mi4.4 mi3.9 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions

Walking one mile burns approximately 72 to 130 calories for most adults, depending primarily on body weight. At 130 lbs, expect around 72 calories per mile at a moderate pace. At 155 lbs, around 86 calories. At 180 lbs, around 100 calories. At 205 lbs, around 114 calories. At 230 lbs, around 128 calories. Enter your weight in the calculator above for your specific figure.
At 160 pounds and a moderate pace (3.0 mph), you burn approximately 89 calories per mile. At a brisk pace (3.5 mph), around 98 calories. At a leisurely pace (2.0 mph), around 80 calories. Over a 3-mile walk at moderate pace, that works out to roughly 267 calories burned.
At 200 pounds and a moderate pace (3.0 mph), walking burns approximately 111 calories per mile. At a brisk pace, around 123 calories. At a leisurely pace, around 100 calories. Over a 3-mile walk at moderate pace, that is roughly 333 calories. The calorie table above shows figures across 13 different body weights.
At 224 pounds, walking one mile at a moderate pace burns approximately 125 calories. At a brisk pace, around 138 calories per mile. At a leisurely pace, around 112 calories. This sits toward the higher end of the typical calorie range because more mass requires more energy to move the same distance.
Walking 2 miles burns approximately 144 to 260 calories for most adults at a moderate pace. A 130 lb person burns around 144 calories. A 155 lb person burns around 172 calories. A 180 lb person burns around 200 calories. A 230 lb person burns around 256 calories. Simply double the per-mile figure for your weight from the table above.
Walking 3 miles burns approximately 216 to 390 calories depending on body weight and pace. At a moderate pace: a 130 lb person burns around 216 calories, a 155 lb person around 258 calories, a 180 lb person around 300 calories, and a 230 lb person around 384 calories. Three miles at moderate pace takes about 60 minutes for most adults.
Walking 5 miles burns approximately 360 to 650 calories depending on body weight and pace. At a moderate pace: a 130 lb person burns around 360 calories, a 155 lb person around 430 calories, a 180 lb person around 500 calories, and a 230 lb person around 640 calories. A 5-mile walk takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes at moderate pace.
Yes, but the effect is smaller than most people expect. Walking at 4.0 mph burns roughly 20 to 25 percent more calories per mile than walking at 2.5 mph. The bigger factor is body weight. Where pace makes a large difference is total calories for a fixed time period: a brisk 30-minute walk covers more miles and burns more total calories than a slow 30-minute walk.
To burn 500 calories walking at a moderate pace, you need approximately 3.9 to 6.9 miles depending on your weight. A 230 lb person needs around 3.9 miles. A 180 lb person around 5.0 miles. A 155 lb person around 5.8 miles. A 130 lb person around 6.9 miles. See the "how far to burn X calories" table above for a full breakdown.
Walking 1 kilometre burns approximately 45 to 80 calories for most adults at a moderate pace. Since 1 km is 0.621 miles, multiply your per-mile calorie figure by 0.621. At 155 lbs: roughly 53 calories per km. At 180 lbs: roughly 62 calories per km. At 200 lbs: roughly 69 calories per km.
Yes, significantly. Walking on slight hills burns roughly 8 to 10 percent more calories per mile than flat walking. Hilly terrain adds around 18 percent. Steep trails or significant inclines can add 35 percent or more. A hilly 3-mile route can easily burn as many calories as a flat 4-mile route. The walking time calculator includes a terrain adjustment to account for this.

Related:

Walking Calorie Calculator Walking for Weight Loss How Long to Walk 3 Miles How Long to Walk 5 Miles 10,000 Steps in Miles Walking Time Calculator