Convert Mile to Chain
Convert miles to chains instantly. 1 mile = 80 chain — use the live calculator, the exact formula, a conversion table and worked examples. Also check the Chain to Mile converter for the reverse conversion.
Units explained
Mile
A mile (statute mile) is an Imperial and US customary unit of length equal to 5,280 feet or exactly 1,609.344 meters. It is the standard unit for road distances in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The mile derives from the Roman mille passus ("thousand paces" — about 1,480 meters). The English statute mile was fixed at 5,280 feet by the Weights and Measures Act of 1593, and exactly defined as 1,609.344 m by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Miles are used in the US and UK for road signs, speed limits (mph), athletic events (one-mile run), and geographic distances. Aviation also uses statute miles for some visibility measurements.
Roman origin (mille passus); English statute mile fixed at 5,280 feet in 1593; standardized to 1,609.344 m exactly by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Chain
A chain is an Imperial unit of length equal to 66 feet (20.1168 m), or exactly 4 rods or 100 links. It is the central unit in the Gunter chain-based land-survey system.
Defined by Edmund Gunter in 1620 specifically to make land-area arithmetic easy: 10 square chains = 1 acre exactly. The 66-foot length and 100-link subdivision were chosen so chain measurements could be added decimally.
Chains are the fundamental unit of legacy US public land surveys (the entire US township-and-range system uses chains). Modern survey work generally uses meters or feet, but legacy deeds remain in chains.
Invented by Edmund Gunter in 1620; standardised throughout English and American land survey; became exact via the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement.
Mile to Chain conversion formula
The relationship between miles and chains:
To convert miles to chains, multiply the value in miles by 80. To reverse, multiply chains by 0.0125.
How to use this converter
Type a value into the calculator. The result in chains updates as you type. Tap a quick value, copy the result with one click, or use the swap arrow to jump straight to the Chain to Mile converter for the reverse direction.
Step-by-step: convert miles to chains
- Write down the value in miles (mi).
- Multiply that value by the factor 80.
- The product is the equivalent value in chains (ch).
- To reverse, multiply the chain value by 0.0125.
Worked examples
Example 1 — Convert 1 mi to ch:
1 × 80 = 80 ch
Example 2 — Convert 100 mi to ch:
100 × 80 = 8000 ch
Real-world example — Road-sign distances across systems
A 100-mile road sign converts cleanly into chains — exactly the conversion drivers planning trips abroad rely on when reading road signs in a different measurement system.
100 mi × 80 = 8000 ch
Real-world example — Endurance race distances
A 50-mile cycling or running race converts to a recognizable distance in chains. Endurance athletes coming from a different measurement system use this conversion to compare training plans across regions.
50 mi × 80 = 4000 ch
Real-world example — Maritime exclusion zone
A 200-mile exclusion zone (a common maritime boundary) converts to a different value in chains that's useful when describing the same zone in everyday land-distance units.
200 mi × 80 = 16000 ch
Mile to Chain conversion table
Standard reference values for converting miles to chains:
| Mile [mi] | Chain [ch] |
|---|---|
| 0.01 | 0.8 |
| 0.1 | 8 |
| 1 | 80 |
| 2 | 160 |
| 3 | 240 |
| 4 | 320 |
| 5 | 400 |
| 10 | 800 |
| 20 | 1600 |
| 30 | 2400 |
| 40 | 3200 |
| 50 | 4000 |
| 100 | 8000 |
| 500 | 40000 |
| 1000 | 80000 |
Frequently asked questions
How many chains is 1 mile?
How do I convert miles to chains?
How do I convert chains back to miles?
How many chains is 100 miles?
Popular length unit conversions
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Metric / SI (18 units)
Imperial / US Customary (26 units)
Nautical (1 units)
Astronomical (9 units)
Atomic / Physics (6 units)
Typographic (3 units)
Sources & references
Conversion factor (1 mi = 80 ch) verified against the following authoritative sources:
- BIPM — The International System of Units (SI Brochure 9th ed.)
Official BIPM publication defining the seven SI base units (including the meter) and the rules for their use. The global authority on units of measurement.
- NIST — Guide to the SI
US National Institute of Standards and Technology reference covering the SI base and derived units with definitions and usage rules for US technical practice.
- NIST Special Publication 811 — Guide for the Use of the International System of Units
Detailed NIST guide covering exact conversion factors between SI and US customary units along with formatting and rounding conventions.
- NIST — Refinement of values for the yard and pound (Federal Register 1959)
The treaty (signed by US
- International Hydrographic Organization — Resolution on the Nautical Mile
International authority that standardised the nautical mile at exactly 1852 m in 1929 — the value adopted worldwide for sea and air navigation.