How long is a 500-word essay?

A 500-word essay averages two double-spaced pages. The length of a document depends on the paper and margin sizes as well as the general text formatting.

The general rule for document length is based on the use of the Times New Roman 12-point font with 1-inch page margins and double-spaced lines, which is the standard formatting for most academic papers and other manuscripts. Such formatting allows for approximately 250 words on one page. If the page is single-spaced, each page will hold an average of 500 words. Differences in font size, the presence of extraneous spaces between words or after ending punctuation, and margins that larger or smaller than 1 inch will all affect how many words fit on a page.