Range and Midrange Calculator
Two of the simplest descriptive statistics are the range and midrange. The range (maximum minus minimum) measures the total spread of a dataset from its lowest to its highest value. The midrange ((maximum plus minimum) divided by 2) is the midpoint of this span. While simple to compute, both statistics are sensitive to outliers because they depend entirely on the most extreme values. They are most useful in quality control, weather reporting, and exploratory data analysis where a quick sense of spread is needed. Enter a comma-separated list of numbers to get the range, midrange, minimum, and maximum instantly.
Range and midrange formulas
Range = max(x) - min(x)
Midrange = (max(x) + min(x)) / 2
Where max(x) is the largest value in the dataset and min(x) is the smallest value. These formulas apply to any numerical dataset with at least one value.
When to use range vs other measures
- Range is appropriate for small datasets and when the full data span is meaningful (temperatures, financial prices, test scores).
- For large datasets or data with outliers, prefer the interquartile range (IQR) which is based on quartiles and less affected by extremes.
- The midrange can serve as a quick estimate of the center, but the mean or median are more statistically robust alternatives.
- In quality control, the range of small samples (R) is used in control charts (R-charts) alongside the sample mean (X-bar charts).
Frequently asked questions
What is the statistical range?
The statistical range is the simplest measure of variability: range = maximum value minus minimum value. It describes the total spread of the data from lowest to highest. The range is easy to compute but sensitive to outliers, because it depends entirely on the two extreme values.
What is the midrange?
The midrange is the average of the minimum and maximum values: midrange = (max plus min) divided by 2. It is the midpoint of the data's range. Like the range, it is sensitive to extreme values and outliers, and it is rarely used as a primary measure of central tendency.
When is the range a useful statistic?
Range is most useful for small datasets, quality control (specification limits), weather reports (daily high and low temperatures), and financial data (daily price range). For larger or skewed datasets, the interquartile range (IQR) is preferred because it is not influenced by outliers.
How does range differ from IQR?
The range covers the full span of data (max minus min). The interquartile range (IQR = Q3 minus Q1) covers only the middle 50% of data and is much less sensitive to outliers. IQR is a more robust measure of spread for skewed or heavy-tailed distributions.
What does it mean if the range is 0?
A range of 0 means all values in the dataset are identical. There is no variability in the data. This would also mean the standard deviation and IQR are both 0.
Official sources
- NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook of Statistical Methods: Measures of Scale.
- NIST/SEMATECH e-Handbook: Engineering Statistics Handbook.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 15 June 2026. See our methodology.