Median Absolute Deviation Calculator
Measure robust spread around the sample median.
How the median absolute deviation calculator works
Median absolute deviation, or MAD, measures typical distance from the median and is resistant to isolated extreme values. The calculator first finds the sample median, converts every observation to its absolute distance from that center, and takes the median again. Unlike standard deviation, it does not square residuals, so one unusually large value has limited influence on the result.
The default sample 1, 1, 2, 2, 4, 6, 9 has median 2. Its absolute deviations are 1, 1, 0, 0, 2, 4, 7. Sorting those deviations places 1 in the middle, giving the verified MAD 1. The distant value 9 changes an upper residual but does not dominate the robust center.
Reading median absolute deviation calculator results privately
This page reports raw MAD, not the normal-consistency scaled version sometimes computed as 1.4826 times MAD. That scaling choice depends on the intended interpretation and is deliberately not hidden. A zero MAD means at least half the observations equal the median; it does not necessarily mean every observation is identical. This median absolute deviation calculator calculation runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter never leave your device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is MAD considered robust?
It uses medians and absolute distances, so a small number of extreme observations cannot pull it as strongly as squared deviations.
Is this the scaled MAD used for normal data?
No. The output is the raw median absolute deviation without the optional 1.4826 consistency factor.
Is the median absolute deviation calculator private?
Yes. Its inputs and results stay in your browser. Bushe.co does not upload or store the values used in this calculation.
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