How wide is a medium apple?
A medium apple is about 7.6 cm (2.99 in) across.
Size source: ars.usda.gov
Compared with things you know
- About 3.1 times as wide as a US quarter coin (2.43 cm)
- About 89% as wide as a credit card (8.56 cm)
- About 32% as wide as a basketball (24 cm)
Apple dimensions
| Measurement | Metric | Imperial | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diameter (medium apple) | 7.6 cm76 mm | 2.992 in | [1] |
USDA apple size classes (diameter)[1]
| Extra small | 6.35 cm (2.5 in)2 1/2 in, about 101 g |
|---|---|
| Small | 6.99 cm (2.75 in)2 3/4 in, about 149 g |
| Medium | 7.62 cm (3 in)3 in, about 182 g |
| Large | 8.26 cm (3.25 in)3 1/4 in, about 223 g |
How apples are measured
Apples are sized by diameter, not by height. Under the USDA grade standard, minimum size is checked as the greatest width of the apple, measured at right angles to a line from the stem to the blossom end. Maximum size is checked differently, as the smallest opening the apple can pass through in any position. The standard also bases its defect limits on an apple 3 in (7.6 cm) in diameter, the same size USDA calls medium.[2]
Size classes
USDA nutrition data lists a medium apple as 3 in (7.6 cm) across and about 182 g. Small apples are 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm) and large ones 3 1/4 in (8.3 cm). The grade standard lets packers state size as a count per container or as a minimum or maximum diameter. For Red Delicious it also allows a weight, from 2 1/8 in (5.4 cm) or 65 g up to 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm) or 139 g.[1][2]
Size uniformity in a box
When apples are packed by count, the fruit in a container must be fairly uniform, meaning the smallest and largest apples differ by no more than 1/2 in (1.3 cm) in diameter. When size is stated as a minimum or maximum diameter, up to 5 percent of apples in a lot may be smaller than the minimum and up to 10 percent larger than the maximum.[2]
Did you know?
There are more than 7,500 known apple cultivars.
Questions people ask
How big is a medium apple?
USDA lists a medium apple as 3 in (7.6 cm) across, weighing about 182 g.[1]
How long is an apple?
Apple size is given as diameter, the width across, and the sources used here give no height or length. A medium apple is 3 in (7.6 cm) wide; small apples are about 7.0 cm and large apples about 8.3 cm.[1][2]
How big is a small apple?
USDA lists a small apple as 2 3/4 in (7.0 cm) in diameter, about 149 g, and an extra small one as 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm), about 101 g.[1]
