Area in feet, divided by 43,560
An acre is exactly 43,560 square feet, so any acreage question is really "what is the area, and how many 43,560s fit in it." For a rectangular lot, area is length × width. If your dimensions are in yards multiply by 9 first, and if they are in metres multiply by 10.764, to reach square feet.
Area shapes
- Rectangle. length × width, then divide by 43,560.
- Triangle. (base × height) ÷ 2, then divide by 43,560.
- Circle. π × radius², then divide by 43,560.
- Irregular lot. Split it into rectangles and triangles, add the areas, then divide the total by 43,560.
Acres to other area units
| Acres | Square feet | Square metres | Hectares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 10,890 | 1,012 | 0.101 |
| 0.5 | 21,780 | 2,023 | 0.202 |
| 1 | 43,560 | 4,047 | 0.405 |
| 2 | 87,120 | 8,094 | 0.809 |
| 5 | 217,800 | 20,234 | 2.023 |
| 10 | 435,600 | 40,469 | 4.047 |
| 40 | 1,742,400 | 161,874 | 16.187 |
| 640 | 27,878,400 | 2,589,988 | 259.0 |
A hectare is about 2.47 acres. For a fast metric estimate, 100 acres is roughly 40 hectares.
A quick way to picture an acre
- Roughly a football field. An American football field without the end zones is about 91% of an acre.
- The old shape. The legal acre is a strip one furlong by one chain, 660 feet × 66 feet.
- Square version. About 209 feet on each side.
Common questions
How many square feet are in an acre?
Exactly 43,560 square feet. That is also 4,840 square yards or about 4,047 square metres. A square acre is roughly 209 feet on each side.
How do I work out acreage from length and width?
Multiply length by width in feet to get square feet, then divide by 43,560. A lot 200 feet by 300 feet is 60,000 square feet, which is 60,000 divided by 43,560, or about 1.38 acres.
How many acres is a typical residential lot?
A city or suburban lot is usually 0.15 to 0.5 acres. Rural home lots run 1 to 2 acres, and hobby farms 5 to 20. Local zoning sets the minimum lot size.
How many acres are in a square mile?
Exactly 640 acres. So a section of land in the US survey grid is one square mile, or 640 acres.
