Average Reaction Time: How Fast Should You Be?
The typical human reaction time to a visual stimulus is 250 milliseconds. But averages vary significantly by age, gender, and what you do for a living. Explore the data below, and find out where you fall.
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Average Reaction Time by Age
Simple visual reaction time measured in milliseconds across age groups. Data aggregated from peer-reviewed studies and our own test results (2026).
Values in milliseconds (ms). Lower is faster.
Reaction time is fastest during the late teens and twenties, when the nervous system operates at peak efficiency. Adolescents aged 10 to 19 average around 210 ms thanks to rapid neural development, while young adults in their twenties settle at approximately 220 ms. From the thirties onward, a gradual but measurable decline begins. By the time a person reaches their seventies, average reaction time has slowed to roughly 330 ms, an increase of about 50 percent over the youthful baseline.
This age-related slowing is driven by reduced nerve conduction velocity, decreased neurotransmitter production, and slower central processing in the prefrontal cortex. However, research shows that physically active older adults maintain reaction times significantly closer to those of younger individuals, suggesting that lifestyle factors can partially offset the effects of aging. Learn how to improve your reaction time regardless of your age.
Average Reaction Time by Gender
Studies consistently find a small but statistically significant difference between males and females in simple reaction time tasks.
Bar width represents relative reaction time. Shorter bars are faster.
On average, males respond about 15 milliseconds faster than females in simple visual reaction time tests. This difference has been documented across dozens of studies and is thought to relate to differences in processing speed, muscle contraction time, and potentially higher baseline levels of certain neurotransmitters. However, the gap is small compared to other factors like age, training, and alertness.
It is worth noting that study samples have historically skewed toward certain demographics, and the gap narrows significantly in trained populations. Female athletes and gamers routinely match or outperform untrained males. The practical takeaway: individual training and lifestyle factors matter far more than gender when it comes to reaction speed.
Average Reaction Time by Activity
How do different groups compare? Reaction times vary considerably depending on training, profession, and habitual activities.
| Group | Avg |
|---|---|
| Pro Esports Players | 180 ms |
| Fighter Pilots | 190 ms |
| F1 Drivers | 200 ms |
| Competitive Gamers | 200 ms |
| Athletes | 210 ms |
| Musicians | 215 ms |
| Casual Gamers | 230 ms |
| General Population | 250 ms |
The data reveals a clear pattern: people who regularly engage in fast-paced, stimulus-response activities develop significantly quicker reflexes. Professional esports players are the fastest group at 180 ms, edging out fighter pilots (190 ms) and Formula 1 drivers (200 ms). This is likely because esports professionals perform thousands of rapid visual reactions daily during training.
Musicians represent an interesting case. Their training emphasizes precise timing and auditory-motor coordination, which transfers to visual reaction tasks. Even casual gamers benefit: regular gameplay appears to reduce reaction time by about 20 ms compared to non-gamers. Test your reaction time now and see which group you fall closest to.
How Reaction Time Declines with Age
The decline is gradual through middle age, then accelerates after 60. This CSS-animated chart shows the typical trajectory of simple visual reaction time across a lifetime.
The curve above tells an important story about the aging brain. Reaction time remains relatively stable from the teens through the thirties, increasing by only about 25 ms over two decades. The slope steepens noticeably after 50, and the acceleration after 60 is driven by compounding factors: loss of myelination on nerve fibers reduces signal speed, declining dopamine levels slow the basal ganglia circuits involved in movement initiation, and reduced cerebral blood flow impairs overall neural responsiveness.
The encouraging news is that the curve is an average, not a destiny. Studies of physically active 60-year-olds show reaction times comparable to sedentary 40-year-olds. Cognitive training, aerobic exercise, and even action video games have demonstrated measurable improvements in older adults. Read about the science behind how your brain processes stimuli and responds.
Factors That Affect Your Score
Sleep
Sleep deprivation is one of the most powerful impairments to reaction time. Missing just two hours of sleep can increase your reaction time by 20 to 30 percent. After 24 hours without sleep, cognitive impairment is comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.10 percent.
Caffeine
Moderate caffeine intake (one to two cups of coffee) can reduce reaction time by 5 to 10 percent by blocking adenosine and increasing alertness. However, excessive doses may cause jitteriness and actually worsen performance. Timing matters: peak effects occur 30 to 60 minutes after consumption.
Alcohol
Even small amounts of alcohol significantly impair reaction time by slowing neural transmission and reducing coordination. At a BAC of 0.05 percent, reaction time increases by roughly 15 to 25 percent. The effects compound with fatigue, making the combination particularly dangerous for driving.
Attention & Focus
Divided attention can add 50 ms or more to reaction time. When you are focused exclusively on the stimulus, your brain pre-activates the motor response pathways. Distractions, multitasking, or mind-wandering force the brain to context-switch, introducing significant delay.
Practice
Regular practice is the most reliable way to improve reaction time. Studies show 10 to 20 percent improvement over several weeks of consistent training. The brain strengthens the specific neural pathways used in stimulus-response tasks through repeated activation, a process called long-term potentiation.
Device & Input Lag
Your hardware matters more than you might think. Display latency (5 to 30 ms), input device lag (1 to 15 ms for wired mice, up to 50 ms for Bluetooth), and browser rendering can collectively add 10 to 50 ms to your measured score. For the most accurate results, use a wired mouse and a low-latency display.