The Excel VARP function returns the variance of an entire population (dividing by n). It is a legacy name — Microsoft now recommends VAR.P, which is identical.
Syntax
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
number1 | Required | The first value or range covering the whole population. |
number2, ... | Optional | Up to 254 more values or ranges. Text and logical values in references are ignored. |
How to use it
VARP treats your numbers as the complete population, dividing by n. It is the square of the population standard deviation (STDEVP).
If the data is only a sample of a larger group, use VAR (divide by n−1) instead, which gives a slightly larger value.
Use the modern name: =VAR.P(...) is the supported replacement and returns the same value. The .P marks it as the “population” variance.
Try it: interactive demo
Pick a VARP example to see the formula and its result.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Is VARP the same as VAR.P?
VAR.P (Excel 2010+) is the population variance (divides by n) and returns identical results. VARP is kept for backward compatibility.When should I use VARP instead of VAR?
How does VARP relate to STDEVP?
VARP = STDEVP^2. Both divide by n.Should I switch to VAR.P?
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