Acreage Calculator
Use this free acreage calculator to find the acres in any piece of land. Enter a length and width, or type in a known area, and get acres, square feet, square yards, square meters, hectares, and square miles in one step with live mathematical formulas.
Use this free acreage calculator to find the acres in any piece of land. Enter a length and width, or type in a known area, and you get acres, square feet, square yards, square meters, hectares and square miles in one step, with the formula shown so you can check the math yourself.
It works for a backyard, a building lot, a pasture or a full farm field. Choose your unit (feet, yards, meters, inches or miles), and the result updates as you type.
Acreage Calculator
Calculate land acres, square feet, square meters, hectares & boundary dimensions
200 × 150 ft (0.69 ac)
208.7 × 208.7 ft (1 ac)
300 × 300 ft (2.07 ac)
660 × 66 ft (1 ac strip)
0.0011 mi²
693 ft
700 ft
$0.00
How to Calculate Acreage
The short version: multiply length by width to get area, then convert that area to acres.
The Acreage Formula
For a rectangular property measured in feet:
Three things to keep in mind:
- Length and width must be in the same unit before you multiply. Mixing feet and yards is the most common reason results come out wrong.
- When both sides are in feet, the product is in square feet.
- Dividing square feet by 43,560 converts the area into acres.
Worked Example
A lot is 200 ft long and 150 ft wide.
- Area: 200 × 150 = 30,000 sq ft
- Acres: 30,000 ÷ 43,560 = 0.6887 acres
The lot is about 0.69 acres.
How Many Square Feet Are in an Acre?
That number never changes, whatever the shape of the land. Here are the partial and multiple-acre values people look up most:
| Acres | Square Feet |
|---|---|
| 0.10 | 4,356 |
| 0.25 (¼) | 10,890 |
| 0.3333 (⅓) | 14,520 |
| 0.50 (½) | 21,780 |
| 0.75 (¾) | 32,670 |
| 1 | 43,560 |
| 2 | 87,120 |
| 5 | 217,800 |
| 10 | 435,600 |
| 40 | 1,742,400 |
| 100 | 4,356,000 |
| 640 (1 sq mi) | 27,878,400 |
Mental-math shortcut: round 43,560 to about 43,500. A 100 × 100 ft lot is roughly one-quarter acre, so a 100 × 400 ft strip is close to one acre.
Acreage Calculator by Feet
Calculate acres from length and width in feet:
If your tape measure or plat map is in feet, this is the only formula you need.
Acreage Examples by Feet
| Length × Width | Area (sq ft) | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 50 × 100 ft | 5,000 | 0.1148 |
| 100 × 100 ft | 10,000 | 0.2296 |
| 100 × 200 ft | 20,000 | 0.4591 |
| 150 × 200 ft | 30,000 | 0.6887 |
| 200 × 200 ft | 40,000 | 0.9183 |
| 300 × 300 ft | 90,000 | 2.0661 |
| 435.6 × 100 ft | 43,560 | 1.0000 |
| 660 × 66 ft | 43,560 | 1.0000 |
Notice that the last two rows are both exactly one acre, even though they look nothing alike.
How to Calculate Acres of Land
Use this five-step workflow for any parcel:
- Measure the land: Use a tape, measuring wheel, plat map, deed or map tool. Record every side.
- Work out the area: Use the shape formula that fits (see the shapes section below).
- Convert to square feet if needed: Yards, meters and inches should be converted first.
- Divide by 43,560: This converts square feet to acres.
- Round sensibly: Use 2 decimals for planning (0.69 acres) and 4 decimals only when comparing parcels.
When the total area is already in square feet:
This calculator handles steps 2 to 4 for you, so you can use it as a land acreage calculator, an acre-of-land estimator or a quick lot-size checker.
Area to Acres Calculator
Already know the area? Pick your unit below and convert directly.
Square Feet to Acres
| Square Feet | Acres |
|---|---|
| 10,000 | 0.2296 |
| 20,000 | 0.4591 |
| 43,560 | 1.0000 |
| 87,120 | 2.0000 |
| 100,000 | 2.2957 |
Square Yards to Acres
Square Meters to Acres
Hectares to Acres
Square Miles to Acres
Acres to Square Feet, Feet and Meters Calculator
Going the other way? Use these when a listing, deed or plan gives you acres and you need a size you can measure or build with.
Acres to Square Feet
Example: 3.5 acres × 43,560 = 152,460 sq ft.
Acres to Other Area Units
| Convert Acres To | Formula | 3.5 Acres Equals |
|---|---|---|
| Square feet | Acres × 43,560 | 152,460 ft² |
| Square yards | Acres × 4,840 | 16,940 yd² |
| Square meters | Acres × 4,046.8564224 | 14,164.0 m² |
| Hectares | Acres × 0.40468564 | 1.4164 ha |
| Square miles | Acres ÷ 640 | 0.0055 mi² |
Acres to Feet (Side Length of a Square Lot)
Acres are area, so they cannot convert straight to linear feet. What you can find is the side length of a square lot with that area: Side (ft) = √(Acres × 43,560).
| Acres | Square Lot Side (ft) |
|---|---|
| 0.25 | 104.4 ft |
| 0.50 | 147.6 ft |
| 1.00 | 208.7 ft |
| 2.00 | 295.2 ft |
| 5.00 | 466.7 ft |
| 10.00 | 660.0 ft |
Acres to Feet When the Width is Fixed
Most real lots are not square. If you know the width, the length you need is: Length (ft) = Acres × 43,560 ÷ Width (ft).
| Acres | Length at 50 ft Wide | Length at 100 ft Wide | Length at 200 ft Wide |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 217.8 ft | 108.9 ft | 54.5 ft |
| 0.50 | 435.6 ft | 217.8 ft | 108.9 ft |
| 1.00 | 871.2 ft | 435.6 ft | 217.8 ft |
| 2.00 | 1,742.4 ft | 871.2 ft | 435.6 ft |
| 5.00 | 4,356.0 ft | 2,178.0 ft | 1,089.0 ft |
| 10.00 | 8,712.0 ft | 4,356.0 ft | 2,178.0 ft |
Acres to Meters
To get a square lot side in meters, use: Side (m) = √(Acres × 4,046.8564). One acre is a square about 63.61 m on a side.
Acreage Conversion Table
| Area Unit | 1 Acre Equals |
|---|---|
| Square feet | 43,560 ft² |
| Square yards | 4,840 yd² |
| Square meters | 4,046.856 m² |
| Hectares | 0.404686 ha |
| Square miles | 0.0015625 mi² |
| Square inches | 6,272,640 in² |
What Is an Acre?
An acre is a unit of area used mainly for measuring land in the United States and the UK. One acre equals exactly 43,560 square feet.
The key point: an acre has no fixed shape. It is an amount of ground, not a set of dimensions. A square, a long strip and a circle can all be exactly one acre.
The unit comes from farming history. An acre was roughly the strip of land a team of oxen could plow in a day, which is why the traditional shape is long and narrow: 1 chain (66 ft) wide by 1 furlong (660 ft) long.
How Big Is an Acre?
1 Acre Dimensions
All of these configurations represent exactly one acre of ground:
| Shape | Dimensions | Boundary Perimeter |
|---|---|---|
| Square | 208.71 ft × 208.71 ft | 834.8 ft |
| Traditional strip | 66 ft × 660 ft | 1,452.0 ft |
| Wide rectangle | 150 ft × 290.4 ft | 880.8 ft |
| Circle | Radius ≈ 117.8 ft | 739.8 ft |
Same area, very different boundary lengths. That makes a tremendous difference for fencing material costs.
Common Acre Sizes Compared
| Size | Square Feet | Square Meters | Visual Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ acre | 10,890 | 1,011.7 | Typical suburban lot, about 100 × 109 ft |
| ⅓ acre | 14,520 | 1,349.0 | A generous suburban lot |
| ½ acre | 21,780 | 2,023.4 | About 147 × 147 ft square |
| ¾ acre | 32,670 | 3,035.1 | About 181 × 181 ft square |
| 1 acre | 43,560 | 4,046.9 | About 75% of an American football field including end zones (1.32 ac) |
| 2 acres | 87,120 | 8,093.7 | Roughly 1.5 football fields |
| 5 acres | 217,800 | 20,234.3 | About 4 football fields |
| 10 acres | 435,600 | 40,468.6 | About 7.5 football fields |
Calculate Acreage for Different Land Shapes
Find the area in square feet first, then divide by 43,560:
| Shape | Area Formula | Example Calculation | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle | Length × Width | 200 × 100 ft = 20,000 sq ft | 0.4591 |
| Square | Side² | 150 ft side = 22,500 sq ft | 0.5165 |
| Triangle | Base × Height ÷ 2 | 300 × 200 ÷ 2 = 30,000 sq ft | 0.6887 |
| Circle | π × Radius² | Radius 100 ft = 31,416 sq ft | 0.7212 |
| Trapezoid | (Base₁ + Base₂) × Height ÷ 2 | (120 + 80) × 150 ÷ 2 = 15,000 sq ft | 0.3444 |
Tip: for a triangle, the height is the straight perpendicular distance from the base to the opposite corner, not the length of a slanted side.
How to Calculate Acreage of Irregular Land
Few real parcels are perfect rectangles. There are two reliable ways to handle odd shapes:
Method 1: Divide into Smaller Shapes
Split the parcel into rectangles, triangles and trapezoids, calculate each, then add them together:
- Rectangle A: 200 × 100 ft = 20,000 sq ft
- Rectangle B: 80 × 60 ft = 4,800 sq ft
- Triangle C: 80 × 50 ÷ 2 = 2,000 sq ft
- Total Area: 26,800 sq ft ÷ 43,560 = 0.6152 acres
Sketch the parcel first and label each piece so none is counted twice. You can use Mode 3 (Irregular Land) in the calculator above to sum these automatically.
Method 2: Map-Based Measurement
- Zoom to the property on a digital GIS map or aerial survey.
- Place a point at each corner or bend of the boundary.
- Close the shape by returning to the first point.
- The tool calculates the enclosed square footage and converts it to acres.
Acreage Calculator for Different Measurements
- Feet to acres: Feet measure linear length. You need two dimensions:
Length × Width ÷ 43,560. - Square feet to acres: Divide by
43,560. - Yards to acres: Multiply length × width in yards to get square yards, then divide by
4,840. - Square meters to acres: Divide by
4,046.8564. - Hectares to acres: Multiply by
2.47105. - Square miles to acres: Multiply by
640.
Acreage Calculator Examples
- Example 1 (Residential Lot): 100 × 150 ft = 15,000 sq ft → 15,000 ÷ 43,560 = 0.3444 acres
- Example 2 (Half-Acre Property): 21,780 sq ft ÷ 43,560 = 0.5000 acres
- Example 3 (5-Acre Property): 217,800 sq ft ÷ 43,560 = 5.0000 acres
- Example 4 (Farm Field): 500 × 1,000 ft = 500,000 sq ft → 500,000 ÷ 43,560 = 11.478 acres
- Example 5 (Land Measured in Meters): Field is 80 m × 120 m = 9,600 m² → 9,600 ÷ 4,046.8564 = 2.3722 acres (0.96 ha).
- Example 6 (Using Acreage for Material Orders): Covering one acre with 1 inch of gravel requires 43,560 ÷ 12 = 3,630 cubic feet, or about 134.4 cubic yards. At 4 inches deep, that rises to roughly 537.8 cubic yards. For driveway and sub-base orders, use our dedicated Gravel Calculator to convert volume into tons and truckloads.
Acreage for Real Estate, Farms and Land Planning
- Real estate: Verify lot sizes on MLS listings against county plat maps, compare parcels fairly by price per acre, and spot marketing discrepancies before submitting an offer.
- Farming: Field acreage directly governs seeding rates, fertilizer spreads, crop rotations, and irrigation water volume.
- Landscaping: Calculate turf area for seeding or sod rolls, and estimate bulk compost, topsoil, and mulch from square footage.
- Construction: Site planning, building setbacks, impervious surface limits, and stormwater permitting rules often trigger at strict acreage thresholds.
- Fencing: Fencing depends on perimeter, not area alone. A square acre needs about 835 ft of fence, while a 66 × 660 ft strip needs 1,452 ft.
Acreage vs Square Footage
| Measurement | Meaning & Typical Use |
|---|---|
| Square foot | Small area unit, common for interior floors, houses, and building footprints |
| Square yard | Mid-size area unit, common in sod, turf, carpet, and pavement surfaces |
| Acre | Larger land-area unit (43,560 sq ft), standard for property parcels and farms |
| Hectare | Metric land-area unit (10,000 m² = 2.471 acres), standard international benchmark |
| Square mile | Very large regional unit (640 acres = 1 section of land) |
Acreage vs Hectares
1 hectare ≈ 2.471 acres | 1 acre ≈ 0.4047 hectares
| Acres | Hectares | Hectares | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.4047 | 1 | 2.4711 |
| 5 | 2.0234 | 5 | 12.3553 |
| 10 | 4.0469 | 10 | 24.7105 |
| 50 | 20.2343 | 50 | 123.5527 |
| 100 | 40.4686 | 100 | 247.1054 |
US Land Measurement Terms: Sections, Deeds, Plats and Survey Feet
Acreage shows up in US property records under several legal frameworks:
| Document or Source | What it Tells You | Trust Level |
|---|---|---|
| Deed (legal description) | Boundaries in words, often ending “more or less” | Legal, but acreage may be approximate |
| Plat (subdivision map) | Lot dimensions and recorded acreage from survey | High, drawn from recorded survey |
| Boundary survey | Measured boundaries certified by a licensed surveyor | Highest (legal ground truth) |
| County GIS parcel record | Acreage calculated from digital parcel boundary lines | Good for estimates, not legal proof |
| Listing (MLS) | Usually copied from county tax assessor records | Verify before relying on it |
Public Land Survey System (PLSS) Sizes
| PLSS Term | Dimensions | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| Township | 6 mi × 6 mi (36 sections) | 23,040 |
| Section | 1 mi × 1 mi | 640 |
| Half section | 1 mi × ½ mi | 320 |
| Quarter section | ½ mi × ½ mi | 160 |
| Quarter-quarter section | ¼ mi × ¼ mi | 40 |
How Accurate Is an Acreage Calculator?
An online acreage calculator provides exact mathematical answers for the numbers entered. However, field accuracy depends on:
- Precision of length and width measurements entered
- Boundary irregularities, natural curves, or waterways
- Topography and slope variations
- County deed recording discrepancies
Use this calculator for budgeting, landscaping, property evaluations, and material takeoffs. For legal disputes, title transfers, and building permits, commission a licensed boundary surveyor.
Acreage and Sloped Land
Property acreage is legally based on the horizontal (projected) area—the footprint of the land seen directly from above, not the slope surface distance. Walking up a steep 30% hill covers more ground, but legal boundary acreage remains identical.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate acreage?
Find the area of the land in square feet, then divide by 43,560. For a rectangle, multiply length by width in feet first.
How do you calculate acres from square feet?
Acres = square feet ÷ 43,560. For example, 20,000 sq ft ÷ 43,560 = 0.4591 acres.
How many square feet are in an acre?
One acre is exactly 43,560 square feet.
How big is 1 acre?
About 208.7 ft by 208.7 ft if square, or 66 ft by 660 ft in the traditional farming chain-furlong shape. It represents about three-quarters of an American football field including end zones.
How do I calculate acreage from length and width?
Multiply length by width in the same unit. If the unit is feet, divide the product by 43,560 to get acres.
How do I calculate acreage of irregular land?
Split the parcel into simple rectangles and triangles, compute their areas, sum them, and divide by 43,560. Alternatively, use Mode 3 in our calculator above.
How many acres are in a square mile?
Exactly 640 acres.
How many acres are in a hectare?
About 2.471 acres (1 hectare = 10,000 m²).
Can I calculate acreage from feet?
Yes. You need two measurements in feet (length and width). Multiply them together and divide by 43,560.
Does an acre have fixed dimensions?
No. An acre is a fixed measure of area (43,560 sq ft), but it can take any geometric shape—square, strip, circle, or polygon.
How do I convert acres to square feet?
Multiply the number of acres by 43,560. For example, 3.5 acres × 43,560 = 152,460 square feet.
How do I calculate ½ acre in square feet?
0.5 × 43,560 = 21,780 square feet.
What is the difference between acreage and square footage?
Both measure area. Square footage is standard for residential homes, rooms, and building pads, while acreage (1 acre = 43,560 sq ft) is used for parcels, land purchases, and farms.
How many acres are in a section of land?
A section of land is 1 square mile, which equals 640 acres.
Does the US survey foot change my acreage result?
No. The difference between the international foot and US survey foot is under 0.2 square feet per acre, far smaller than any field measuring variance.
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