Definition of "How big is an acre?"

An acre is a measuring unit used only for land measurements in the imperial system. The most common form in which an acre is measured, however, in a rectangle of 660 feet by 66 feet or, 1 furlong by 1 chain. Real estate agencies also invented the commercial acre, but before we get to explain how big is an acre, let’s see what is an acre.

History of the acre

The way these tracks of land are measured today is a long way away from the method used in the Middle Ages. Back then, in order to measure land surfaces, they would use an ox. However much an ox managed to plow in one day was what was considered an acre in those days. Because it was difficult to turn the ox while it was pulling a plow, acres were considered long and thin strips of land. Fortunately, we no longer have to rely on oxen in order to know how big is an acre.

The furlong and chain method involved the use of a surveyor’s chain, a measuring unit of 66 feet that was used in order to measure as accurately as possible plots of land in England. That was what they used and an ox. This measuring system went to the British colonies including America. The chain measuring method was obligatory when the US townships were measured as well as train routes. Today the chain system of measurement is used to measure how fast wildfire spreads (chains per hour). The chain length only measured the width of an acre. For the length, oxen were used and precisely how much an ox could plow in one day.

How big is an acre compared to:

First, you need to understand that an Acre can be measured in any type of shape - a rectangle, a triangle, even circles - as long as its total area equals 43,560 square feet.

  • A football field - 75% or 90.75% without the end zone
  • A soccer pitch - 60%
  • Tennis court - 16 tennis courts put together
  • 1/3 of a Baseball field
  • 3 lanes of an Olympic swimming pool
  • 1 furlong by 1 chain
  • 43,560 square feet
  • 4,046.86 square meters
  • 0.00404686 square kilometers
  • 1/640th  of a square mile
  • 0.404686 hectares
  • 4840 square yards
  • around 708 copies of this article printed on an A4 paper.

Real Estate tips:

Now that you’re a pro regarding acres, search through other Real Estate Questions and turn a "?" into knowledge!

And have you checked The OFFICIAL Real Estate Agent Directory®? You should.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Questions

Popular Real Estate Glossary Terms

An individual or business that buys someone else's equity in property but may not assume any responsibility for a loan balance. ...

In any field, from the corner store or long-term rentals, the potential gross income is the expected revenue earned from a sale or the rendering of services. The potential gross income ...

The maximum depth to which the ground normally becomes frozen in a given geographic area. The depth of the frost line is an important consideration when placing or installing pipes or any ...

Lease agreement having level payments during the contractual period. It does not have an escalation clause to allow for increased costs due to increases in inflation, taxes, or other ...

In real estate terms, many consider having corner influence an extra financial advantage when it comes to transactions in most cases. Usually, enjoying a corner influence brings an ...

Created by law usually for the right to travel to landlocked parcel of land ...

Analysis of the risks and rewards to an individual in making a particular property investment. Investment analysis considers the cost of the original investment, the investment return over ...

A legally transferable debt instrument by which the issuer agrees to pay the payee within a certain time period. Note usually pay a specified rate of interest tied to the market rate of ...

Unincorporated combination (roll-up) of limited partnerships in a real estate together as a group. It is usually more comprehensive, financially sound, and marketable than individual ...