The average number of steps a person takes per day varies widely depending on factors such as age, gender, location, and lifestyle. However, for healthy adults, normative data indicate a typical range between 4,000 and 18,000 steps per day

. More specifically:

• In the United States, adults average around 5,000 to 6,500 steps per day, with some studies reporting figures as low as about 4,774 steps and others up to 6,800 steps

• Globally, the average tends to fall between 5,000 and 7,000 steps per day

• Other countries show some variation, for example, Japanese adults average about 7,200 steps, Western Australians and Belgians about 9,600 steps, and Swiss adults range from 8,900 to 10,400 steps depending on gender

• Steps tend to decrease with age, with younger adults and children taking more steps (10,000 to 16,000 steps for those under 18) and older adults often walking fewer than 5,000 steps daily

The commonly recommended target for daily steps is 10,000 steps, which aligns with public health guidelines promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and is associated with significant health benefits

. Many adults fall short of this goal, but even incremental increases of 2,000 to 2,500 steps per day can improve health outcomes

. In summary, the average adult typically takes about 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day, with 10,000 steps being a widely recommended goal for optimal health