Full answer
Average pace by category: Slow/elderly/recovery (2 mph) = 30 min/mile. Average casual adult (3–3.5 mph) = 17–20 min/mile. Brisk/fitness walking (3.5–4.5 mph) = 13–17 min/mile. Race walking (5–6 mph) = 10–12 min/mile. Running starts at around 5–6 mph for most people.
Variables that affect your personal pace: age (pace typically slows after 60), terrain (trails and hills add 20–30% to your time vs. flat pavement), carrying weight (backpack, stroller), and individual fitness level. Outdoor wind resistance doesn't factor much at walking speeds.
Health benefits of walking: 30 minutes of brisk walking at 3.5–4 mph constitutes the recommended 150 minutes of moderate activity per week the CDC recommends. Walking a mile at a moderate pace burns approximately 80–100 calories for a 150 lb person — more for heavier individuals. The caloric benefit is modest; walking's main benefits are cardiovascular and metabolic, not weight loss by itself.
The 10,000 steps per day goal is widely cited but not strongly science-based. The number originated from a 1965 Japanese pedometer marketing campaign, not from medical research. Current research shows significant health benefits begin around 7,000–8,000 steps/day, with diminishing returns above that threshold. One mile = approximately 2,000–2,500 steps depending on stride length.
Tracking your pace: most smartphones can track walking speed and distance via GPS using apps like Apple Health, Google Fit, Strava, or MapMyWalk. A fitness tracker or Apple Watch gives more accurate step counts and calories because it uses body acceleration data rather than GPS alone — GPS loses accuracy in urban canyons and under tree cover.