A standard page in Microsoft Word holds about 500 words single-spaced or 250 words double-spaced, using Times New Roman 12pt with 1-inch margins. These are the formats used in most academic and professional writing.
Words per page by formatting
| Format | Words per page |
|---|---|
| Single-spaced, 12pt | ~500 |
| 1.5-spaced, 12pt | ~375 |
| Double-spaced, 12pt | ~250 |
| Single-spaced, 11pt | ~550 |
| Single-spaced, 10pt | ~600 |
Factors that change words per page
- Font size: dropping from 12pt to 11pt adds ~10% more words per page
- Font family: Calibri runs slightly tighter than Times New Roman
- Margins: 0.5" margins add ~20% more content vs 1" margins
- Line spacing: the biggest factor — single vs double cuts page count in half
- Headings & lists: H1/H2 headings, bullets, and images expand pages
Pages for common word counts
- 500 words → 1 single-spaced page / 2 double-spaced
- 1,000 words → 2 single / 4 double — see our 1,000 words guide
- 2,000 words → 4 single / 8 double — see our 2,000 words guide
- 5,000 words → 10 single / 20 double — see our 5,000 words guide
Why these estimates are not exact
Page count is a function of formatting choices, not raw word count. The same 1,000-word document can fill anywhere from 1.5 to 4 pages depending on font, spacing, and whether you use lists and headings. Always rely on word count, not page count, when working to a publisher's or instructor's brief.
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- ✓Single-spaced page = ~500 words; double-spaced = ~250
- ✓Line spacing has the biggest impact on page count
- ✓Always work to word count, not page count, for assignments
- ✓Switching from 12pt to 11pt adds about 10% more text per page
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