How many blocks in a mile?

Step 1: Understand what a city block is

A city block is the smallest unit of urban planning, typically the distance between two streets. The length of a block can vary depending on the city’s layout, especially between older cities and newer, grid-planned cities.

Step 2: Understand the length of a mile

• 1 mile = 5280 feet

Step 3: Estimate the length of a typical block

• In most U.S. cities, a standard city block is approximately 264 to 330 feet long.
• To find the number of blocks per mile, divide 5280 feet by the average block length.

Examples:

• 5280 ÷ 264 ≈ 20 blocks
• 5280 ÷ 330 ≈ 16 blocks

Step 4: Consider variation by city

• Some cities like Chicago use longer blocks (~660 feet), resulting in fewer blocks per mile (~8).
• In New York, there are about 20 blocks per mile going north–south and fewer going east–west.

Final Conclusion:

Given typical city block sizes, the number of blocks in a mile generally ranges between:

15 to 20 blocks

This makes 15 – 20 the most accurate answer range among the options.