The Excel AVEDEV function returns the average of the absolute deviations of data points from their mean — a plain-spoken measure of variability that, unlike variance, keeps the original units.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
number1 | Required | The first number, name, array, or reference to include. |
number2, ... | Optional | Up to 254 additional numbers or ranges. AVEDEV needs at least one numeric value. |
How to use it
AVEDEV first finds the mean of your numbers, then averages how far each value sits from that mean — using the absolute distance so positives and negatives don't cancel out.
Because it uses absolute values rather than squares, AVEDEV is less sensitive to outliers than the standard deviation and is easy to explain to a non-technical audience: it is literally the average distance from average.
AVEDEV vs STDEV: both measure spread, but STDEV squares the deviations (penalising large gaps more heavily) and is the input for most statistical tests. Reach for AVEDEV when you want a simple, intuitive "typical distance from the mean".
Try it: interactive demo
Pick a AVEDEV example to see the formula and its result.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
What does AVEDEV actually measure?
How is AVEDEV different from STDEV?
Does AVEDEV ignore text and blank cells?
Why can't I just average the raw deviations?
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