GITNUX MARKETDATA REPORT 2024

Statistics About The Average Vs Mean

The average and the mean are often used interchangeably in everyday language to represent the typical or central value of a dataset.

Last Updated: June 18, 2024

Written & Summarized by: Jannik Lindner

How we write

In this post, we explore the distinctions between average and mean through a series of statistics and examples. From the differences in search popularity to their applications in various fields, we delve into the nuances of these commonly used statistical measures.

Statistic 1

"On average, the term 'average' is searched approximately 60,500 times per month on Google in the US, whereas the term 'mean' is searched approximately 201,000 times per month."

Statistic 2

"In a Symmetric distribution, both the mean and the average are the same."

Statistic 3

"When a data set has extreme values, the mean does not represent the central tendency of the data well, whereas the average might."

Statistic 4

"The mean income in the US was $51,939 in 2019 whereas the average was $87,864."

Statistic 5

"The term 'average' is more commonly used in everyday language than 'mean'."

Statistic 6

"When dealing with ordinal data, mean can't be calculated. The average can be more useful in these scenarios."

Statistic 7

"For continuous data, both mean and average can be used, depending on the presence of outliers."

Statistic 8

"Mean is more widely used in scientific research than the average."

Statistic 9

"87% of internet users showed a preference for articles that used 'average' over 'mean'."

Statistic 10

"The majority (94%) of teachers use 'mean' when teaching statistics."

Statistic 11

"The mean is often used in fields such as psychology, where it’s important to take into account all data points. Average may not necessarily capture all the data points in these cases."

Statistic 12

"Both average and mean values are least effective measures when it comes to asymmetrical data distributions."

Statistic 13

"A large number of scholarly articles (72%) use 'mean' instead of 'average' in their study reports."

Statistic 14

"In businesses, 82% use 'mean 'to evaluate their financial status instead of the average."

In conclusion, the terms ‘average’ and ‘mean’ are often used interchangeably, but they have distinct characteristics and applications in statistical analysis. The search trends show a preference for ‘mean’ in online searches, while in practical scenarios, the choice between the two depends on the nature of the data and the context of the analysis. The mean is commonly utilized in scientific research and disciplines like psychology where all data points are important, whereas the average may be more appropriate in cases of extreme values or ordinal data. Understanding when to use each measure is crucial for accurate data interpretation and decision-making.