Last updated: May 2026
Convert between m², cm², km², hectares, acres, square feet, square yards, and square miles — metric to imperial and back.
Convert between m², km², hectares, sq ft, sq mi, acres, and more
Common Area References
| Metric | Imperial | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 m² | 10.764 ft² | About the size of a small bathroom |
| 1 hectare | 2.471 acres | Roughly 2 football fields |
| 1 km² | 0.386 mi² | About 247 acres |
| 1 acre | 43,560 ft² | Standard US land unit |
| 1 mi² | 640 acres | 1 section of land |
Other Unit Converters
Area is length squared, which means conversion factors are the square of the corresponding linear conversion. If 1 foot = 0.3048 meters, then 1 square foot = 0.3048² = 0.0929 square meters. This trips people up constantly — you can't just use the length conversion factor for area.
The most common real-world need: converting between square feet (US residential standard), square meters (international standard), and acres or hectares (land measurement). Real estate listings in different countries use different units — understanding the conversion helps you compare properties across borders.
| From | To | Multiply By | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Square feet (ft²) | Square meters (m²) | 0.092903 | Floor plans, rooms |
| Square meters (m²) | Square feet (ft²) | 10.7639 | European listings → US |
| Acres | Square feet | 43,560 | US land measurement |
| Acres | Hectares | 0.404686 | 1 acre ≈ 0.4 hectares |
| Hectares | Acres | 2.47105 | 1 hectare ≈ 2.5 acres |
| Square kilometers | Square miles | 0.386102 | Country/city sizes |
| Square miles | Square kilometers | 2.58999 | US geographic areas |
How many square feet is a hectare?
One hectare equals 107,639 square feet, or about 2.471 acres. A hectare is 10,000 square meters — a square exactly 100 meters on each side. It's the standard unit for large land areas in metric countries, roughly equivalent to 2.5 American football fields.
How do I convert square meters to square feet quickly?
Multiply by 10.764. For a quick estimate, multiply by 10 and add about 7.6%. So 50 m² ≈ 500 + 38 = 538 ft² (exact answer: 538.2 ft²). This mental shortcut works well for real estate estimates where a ballpark is sufficient.
What's the difference between acres and hectares?
Both measure land area. One acre = 43,560 sq ft (roughly a 209 × 209 ft square). One hectare = 10,000 m² (exactly 100 × 100 meters). A hectare is about 2.47 acres. US land records use acres; international and scientific land measurement uses hectares.
Why can't I just use the length conversion factor for area?
Because area is two-dimensional. If 1 m = 3.281 ft, then 1 m² = 3.281 × 3.281 = 10.764 ft². You square the linear conversion factor for area. The same logic applies in reverse — cube it for volume. Using the linear factor directly for area is one of the most common measurement mistakes in construction.
How big is 1,000 square feet in meters?
1,000 sq ft × 0.092903 = 92.9 m². Roughly 93 square meters. That's a mid-size apartment — equivalent to a 9.6 m × 9.6 m square space, or a long rectangular layout of about 10 m × 9.3 m.