How Many Feet Are in a Story?

By Staff WriterLast Updated December 09, 2023

There are 10.826 feet in a story before rounding. The normal choice is to allow 10 feet for every story, although this tends to vary based on the choice of individual architects. Taller ceilings can result in a greater distance between stories.

As an example, consider the Gateway Arch at the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. When describing the height of the arch, the government claims it is 63 stories tall when using a 10-foot average story height, according to the National Park Service.

Architects who want to build a taller room may create stories that are 14, 16 or even 20 feet high. Vaulted ceilings make a large difference in the height of stories.