This page converts miles into rods using the factor 320, and shows the reverse figure alongside it. Both units measure length, which is why one number does the whole job.
Sixteen and a half feet, or a quarter of a chain; it survives in old deeds and fence estimating. The statute mile: 5,280 feet, used for road distance in the US, UK and a handful of others.
The mil and the millimetre are not the same thing and are out by a factor of about forty. A mil is one thousandth of an inch — 0.0254 mm — and a spec sheet that quotes film thickness in mils means the small unit. British drawings write the same size as "thou". Below the calculator there is a step table for the values people look up most, and a second table putting real length figures into rods so the number you get has something to be compared against.
The formula
miles- The amount you are converting, in miles
320- The exact number of rods in one mile
rods- The converted result
How it works, step by step
- Enter the value in miles.
- It is multiplied by 320, the exact factor between the two units.
- The answer is shown in rods, with the reverse conversion beneath it.
- Check the reference table if you want a figure of comparable size.
Worked examples
An Olympic pool: 0.0311 mi in rods
Take an olympic pool, roughly 0.0311 mi. The conversion is a single multiplication — 0.0311 × 320 — giving 9.952 rd. Because the relationship is proportional, doubling the input doubles the answer to 19.904 rd.
Earth’s diameter: 7920 mi in rods
Earth’s diameter comes to about 7920 mi. Multiplying by the factor: 7920 × 320 = 2.5344e+06 rd. Dividing the answer back by 320 returns the figure you started with, which is the quickest way to check you have the factor the right way up.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many rods are in one mile?
Exactly 320. Every figure on this page is that one number multiplied by your input, so the only rounding is at the display step.
What is the formula to convert miles to rods?
rods = miles × 320. Reversed, miles = rods ÷ 320, which is the same as multiplying by 0.003125.
Which is the bigger unit, the mile or the rod?
The mile. One mile equals 320 rods.
What does this quantity actually measure?
Both units measure length. That is why a single factor is enough: there is no temperature offset and no material property involved, unlike conversions that cross between different quantities.
What is a mile?
The statute mile: 5,280 feet, used for road distance in the US, UK and a handful of others.
What is a rod?
Sixteen and a half feet, or a quarter of a chain; it survives in old deeds and fence estimating.
Why does my answer differ from another converter?
Almost always because the other tool rounded the factor before multiplying. This page keeps full double precision through the calculation and rounds only for display, and it prints the factor it used so you can see where any difference came from.
Miles to rods reference tables
| Miles | Rods |
|---|---|
| 0.5 mi | 160 rd |
| 1 mi | 320 rd |
| 2 mi | 640 rd |
| 3 mi | 960 rd |
| 5 mi | 1600 rd |
| 10 mi | 3200 rd |
| 20 mi | 6400 rd |
| 25 mi | 8000 rd |
| 50 mi | 16,000 rd |
| 75 mi | 24,000 rd |
| 100 mi | 32,000 rd |
| 250 mi | 80,000 rd |
| 500 mi | 160,000 rd |
| 1000 mi | 320,000 rd |
| 5000 mi | 1.6e+06 rd |
Exact factor: 1 mile = 320 rods.
| Quantity | mi | rd |
|---|---|---|
| A credit card’s long edge | 5.319e-05 mi | 0.01702 rd |
| A door height | 0.001263 mi | 0.404 rd |
| An Olympic pool | 0.03107 mi | 9.942 rd |
| The Eiffel Tower | 0.2051 mi | 65.62 rd |
| A marathon | 26.22 mi | 8390 rd |
| Earth’s diameter | 7918 mi | 2.534e+06 rd |
Published reference values, converted with the same factor this page uses.