Average reaction time by age
Reaction time peaks in the late teens to mid-twenties and then declines at a fairly constant rate of about 1–1.5 ms per year. The table below gives the median for each age band.
| Age | Median reaction time |
|---|---|
| 16-19 | 232 ms |
| 20-24 | 240 ms |
| 25-29 | 247 ms |
| 30-34 | 254 ms |
| 35-39 | 263 ms |
| 40-44 | 273 ms |
| 45-49 | 285 ms |
| 50-54 | 299 ms |
| 55-59 | 315 ms |
| 60+ | 335 ms |
| All adults | 270 ms |
Reaction time percentiles by age
Averages hide the spread, and the spread is wide. Within any age group, the fastest 10% of people react roughly 80–100 ms quicker than the slowest 10% — a far bigger difference than five years of ageing. Read across a row to see the full range.
| Age | Top 10% fastest | Top 25% | Median | Slowest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16-19 | 181 ms | 205 ms | 232 ms | 283 ms |
| 20-24 | 186 ms | 212 ms | 240 ms | 294 ms |
| 25-29 | 191 ms | 217 ms | 247 ms | 303 ms |
| 30-34 | 195 ms | 223 ms | 254 ms | 313 ms |
| 35-39 | 201 ms | 231 ms | 263 ms | 325 ms |
| 40-44 | 209 ms | 239 ms | 273 ms | 337 ms |
| 45-49 | 218 ms | 250 ms | 285 ms | 352 ms |
| 50-54 | 229 ms | 262 ms | 299 ms | 369 ms |
| 55-59 | 241 ms | 276 ms | 315 ms | 389 ms |
| 60+ | 256 ms | 293 ms | 335 ms | 414 ms |
Percentiles are computed from each age band's median and standard deviation using a normal distribution model. See methodology below for how these numbers are produced and their limits.
Is my reaction time good?
Find your score below to see how you compare against adults of all ages on this test.
| Your score | Verdict | Faster than |
|---|---|---|
| 150 ms | Elite | 98.5% |
| 180 ms | Excellent | 94.9% |
| 200 ms | Excellent | 89.8% |
| 220 ms | Above average | 81.8% |
| 250 ms | Average | 64.2% |
| 270 ms | Average | 50% |
| 300 ms | Below average | 29.3% |
| 330 ms | Needs work | 13.8% |
| 360 ms | Needs work | 5.1% |
| 400 ms | Needs work | 0.9% |
Simple vs choice reaction time
These are two different measurements and comparing them is the most common reason people think their score is wrong.
- Simple reaction time — one stimulus, one response. “Click when it turns green.” This is what this test measures, and it averages around 250 ms.
- Choice reaction time — multiple possible stimuli, and you must pick the right response. Because every additional option adds decision time, these scores are typically 100–200 ms slower. Gaming and most real-world situations involve choice reaction time.
Why your number here differs from published averages
If you search for average reaction time you will see numbers ranging from 200 ms to 300 ms. Almost none of that spread is disagreement about human biology — it is different equipment.
Display refresh
60 Hz screen adds up to 16 ms before the new frame is drawn
Wireless input
USB polling typically adds 8–20 ms over a wired mouse
Background load
Busy tabs and screen recorders delay the whole render loop
Touchscreen vs mouse
Different hardware paths, generally slower than a mouse
Combined, these routinely add 20–40 ms. That is why the benchmarks on this page sit slightly above the classic textbook figures, and why you should always compare your own results measured on the same device.
How these benchmark numbers were produced
Read this first. The values on this page are approximations derived from published simple visual reaction-time research, combined with an allowance for typical browser and input latency. They are not measured from this site's own users yet. As the dataset behind this test grows, these tables are meant to be replaced with measured values and the note updated to say so.
- 1.Each age band is given a median and a standard deviation consistent with published simple visual reaction-time norms.
- 2.Percentiles are then computed from a normal distribution using those two parameters.
- 3.Medians rise roughly linearly from the mid-twenties onward, matching the ~1–1.5 ms per year decline reported in the literature.
- 4.Every reaction-time number published anywhere on this site comes from this one model, so no two pages can disagree.
How to improve reaction time
The levers that actually move your score, ranked by effect size.
Read the guideTake the reaction time test
Five trials, median score, no signup required.
Start the testFrequently asked questions
What is the average human reaction time?
In controlled laboratory studies of simple visual reaction time, healthy young adults average roughly 230–260 ms. Once you include all adults and add the latency of a real browser, mouse and monitor, the practical average is about 270 ms. That gap is not people getting slower — it is measurement hardware adding 15–30 ms to every response.
What is a good reaction time?
For adults taking this test, anything under 213 ms puts you in the fastest 15% and anything under 180 ms is elite. Around 270 ms is straightforwardly average. Remember that device latency matters, so compare yourself to the same setup rather than to a lab figure you read online.
Is 250 ms a good reaction time?
Yes. 250 ms is faster than roughly 64.2% of adults, which puts it clearly above the median of 270 ms. It is a typical result for a well-rested adult in their twenties playing on a desktop with a wired mouse.
Does reaction time get slower with age?
Yes, and the decline is surprisingly steady. Simple visual reaction time is fastest in the late teens to mid-twenties and then increases by roughly 1–1.5 ms per year on average — which is why the median moves from about 232 ms in the 16–19 band to about 335 ms past 60. Good sleep, aerobic fitness and regular practice all blunt that curve.
What is the fastest reaction time that is physically possible?
Simple visual reaction time is limited by how long it takes the visual signal to reach your cortex and a motor command to reach your finger, so genuine responses below roughly 120–140 ms are not physiologically credible. Reliable human scores bottom out near 150–170 ms. Anything lower in a browser test is almost always anticipation — clicking before the cue actually appeared.
Why is my reaction time slower here than the averages I read about?
Most published averages come from calibrated lab equipment with millisecond-accurate response buttons. Your browser adds several layers of delay: the display refresh interval (up to 16 ms on a 60 Hz screen), USB polling on a wireless mouse (another 8–20 ms), and background tabs competing for CPU. Together these commonly add 20–40 ms, which is why our benchmarks sit a little above the classic textbook numbers.
This page is for general interest and self-comparison only. Reaction time varies enormously with device, alertness and environment, and this is not a medical or diagnostic assessment.