How Many Words Per Page?
How Many Words Per Page?
A standard double-spaced page in 12pt Times New Roman with 1-inch margins holds about 250 words. Single-spaced, the same page fits roughly 500 words.
That's the short answer. The real number depends on font, spacing, margins, and whether your professor counts the title page.
The numbers that actually matter
Here's what you'll see on a typical 8.5 x 11 page using 12pt Times New Roman and 1-inch margins:
- Single-spaced: 500–550 words
- 1.5 spaced: 350–400 words
- Double-spaced: 250–275 words
Switch to Arial 11pt and you'll get a few more words per line. Switch to Courier (a monospaced font) and you'll get noticeably fewer, around 200 words double-spaced.
Why the range exists
Your word count per page shifts with three things:
- Font choice. Times New Roman is narrower than Arial. Verdana is wider than both.
- Paragraph density. Lots of dialogue or short paragraphs leaves white space, which drops your per-page count.
- Headings and lists. Bullets and H2s eat vertical space fast.
This is why a 5-page essay assignment usually translates to 1,250 words double-spaced, not 2,000.
Quick reference table
| Format | Words per page |
|---|---|
| Single-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~500 |
| 1.5 spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~375 |
| Double-spaced, 12pt Times New Roman | ~250 |
| Double-spaced, 12pt Arial | ~280 |
| Double-spaced, 11pt Calibri | ~300 |
| Handwritten (college-ruled) | 150–200 |
Common assignment lengths
If your professor gave you a page count and you want to know roughly how much you need to write:
- 1 page double-spaced = 250 words
- 2 pages double-spaced = 500 words
- 3 pages double-spaced = 750 words
- 5 pages double-spaced = 1,250 words
- 10 pages double-spaced = 2,500 words
- 20 pages double-spaced = 5,000 words
For single-spaced, double those numbers.
A worked example
Say you're writing a 4-page double-spaced literary analysis in Times New Roman 12pt with 1-inch margins. Your target is roughly 1,000 words.
Break that down by section:
- Intro with thesis: 150 words
- Three body paragraphs: 250 words each = 750 words
- Conclusion: 100 words
That's 1,000 words right on target. If you're at 1,150 when you finish drafting, you're fine. If you're at 600, you haven't hit the page count and you need more analysis, not bigger margins.
What about handwritten pages?
College-ruled notebook paper holds about 150–200 words per side if you write at a normal size. Wide-ruled holds closer to 100–150. This matters for in-class essays where you need to estimate your word count from a page target.
Tricks teachers notice
Don't bother with these. Every English teacher has seen them:
- Bumping the font from 12 to 12.5 or 13pt
- Stretching margins from 1 inch to 1.25
- Switching from Times New Roman to Courier (the dead giveaway)
- Adding an extra space after each period
- Inflating the header
Most teachers grade by word count anyway, not page count, precisely because formatting tricks are obvious.
When word count beats page count
Most modern assignments specify word count, not pages. That's the standard for academic publishing too. The MLA Handbook and APA Publication Manual both recommend word counts over page counts because they're format-independent.
If your syllabus says "5 pages or 1,250 words," write to the word count. It's the honest target.
How to check your current count
In Google Docs: Tools → Word count (or Ctrl+Shift+C). In Microsoft Word: look at the status bar at the bottom, or Review → Word Count. In Pages: View → Show Word Count.
For pasted text, drafts you haven't saved, or quick checks while brainstorming, a standalone word counter is faster than opening a document.