There is no single average memory score, because memory isn’t one skill. Holding a number, reproducing a grid, and tracking words each use a different system, and each has its own typical result. What people usually want is a benchmark for a specific test. This page gives the typical score for every test on the site and shows where yours fits.
Why “average memory score” needs a test attached
Ask “what’s an average memory score” and the honest reply is “average at what?” A strong digit span tells you nothing about visual memory. Someone can sit well above the norm on words and below it on grids. Lumping these into one number hides more than it reveals.
So the useful benchmark is always per test. Below are the typical adult results across the site’s tests. Each links to a full page with the distribution and a way to find your exact rank.
Typical scores by test
| Test | Typical score |
|---|---|
| Visual Memory Test | Level 11 |
| Number Memory Test | 7 digits |
| Sequence Memory Test | 9 steps |
| Verbal Memory Test | 44 words |
| Chimp Test | 7 tiles |
| Digit Span Test | 7 digits |
| Working Memory Test | Level 5 |
| Short Term Memory Test | 7 digits |
Read that table as “the middle of the pack.” Roughly half of people score above each figure and half below. A result near the average is normal and healthy, not a problem to fix.
What counts as a good memory score
“Good” depends on how far above typical you want to be. A rough guide that holds across the tests:
- Around the average: you’re in the normal range, where most people sit.
- Upper quarter (past the 75th percentile): clearly above typical, a genuinely good result.
- Top ten percent (past the 90th): strong. Most people never reach this on a given test.
- Top one percent (past the 99th): exceptional, and often the product of training rather than raw talent.
Pick a test to see these bands with real numbers: average visual memory, average number memory, average verbal memory, or average chimp test.
Where do these numbers come from
Every figure on this page is computed from the same scoring engine that runs the live tests, checked against published norms where they exist. Nothing is typed in by hand or guessed. When you take a test, your result is scored the same way, so your number and the benchmark are directly comparable. Read more about the method on the about page.
How to find your own score
Take any test and you get a score plus a band on the spot. The quickest way to a broad read is the memory quiz, which samples several skills. For a precise per-test rank, use the percentile pages, like number memory percentiles. Then, if you want to move up a band, start with how to improve memory. To read your result against your age group, see memory score by age.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good overall memory score?
There’s no single overall score, but on any one test, landing past the 75th percentile is clearly good and the top 10 percent is strong. Because memory splits into separate skills, judge yourself per test. A great digit span and an average grid score is a completely normal profile.
Why can’t you give one average memory number?
Because memory isn’t one thing. Short-term span, visual recall, sequence memory, and verbal recognition are different systems with different norms. A single blended number would hide real strengths and weaknesses. The per-test averages on this page are far more useful than any combined figure would be.
How do I compare my score to other people?
Take a test, note your score, then open that test’s percentile page to see the full distribution and where you rank. The percentile tells you the share of people you scored above. That’s a clearer comparison than the raw average, which only marks the middle.
Does a below-average score mean something is wrong?
No. Half of all healthy people score below average by definition, and results swing with sleep, focus, and stress. A low score on an online test is not a diagnosis. If your memory is noticeably worse than it used to be or affects daily life, see a doctor rather than an online test.