Simple way to calculate median with MySQL

Building off of velcro's answer, for those of you having to do a median off of something that is grouped by another parameter:

SELECT grp_field, t1.val FROM (
   SELECT grp_field, @rownum:=IF(@s = grp_field, @rownum + 1, 0) AS row_number,
   @s:=IF(@s = grp_field, @s, grp_field) AS sec, d.val
  FROM data d,  (SELECT @rownum:=0, @s:=0) r
  ORDER BY grp_field, d.val
) as t1 JOIN (
  SELECT grp_field, count(*) as total_rows
  FROM data d
  GROUP BY grp_field
) as t2
ON t1.grp_field = t2.grp_field
WHERE t1.row_number=floor(total_rows/2)+1;

Single query to archive the perfect median:

SELECT 
COUNT(*) as total_rows, 
IF(count(*)%2 = 1, CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX( GROUP_CONCAT(val ORDER BY val SEPARATOR ','), ',', 50/100 * COUNT(*)), ',', -1) AS DECIMAL), ROUND((CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX( GROUP_CONCAT(val ORDER BY val SEPARATOR ','), ',', 50/100 * COUNT(*) + 1), ',', -1) AS DECIMAL) + CAST(SUBSTRING_INDEX(SUBSTRING_INDEX( GROUP_CONCAT(val ORDER BY val SEPARATOR ','), ',', 50/100 * COUNT(*)), ',', -1) AS DECIMAL)) / 2)) as median, 
AVG(val) as average 
FROM 
data

MySQL has supported window functions since version 8.0, you can use ROW_NUMBER or DENSE_RANK (DO NOT use RANK as it assigns the same rank to same values, like in sports ranking):

SELECT AVG(t1.val) AS median_val
  FROM (SELECT val, 
               ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY val) AS rownum
          FROM data) t1,
       (SELECT COUNT(*) AS num_records FROM data) t2
 WHERE t1.row_num IN
       (FLOOR((t2.num_records + 1) / 2), 
        FLOOR((t2.num_records + 2) / 2));

A simple way to calculate Median in MySQL

set @ct := (select count(1) from station);
set @row := 0;

select avg(a.val) as median from 
(select * from  table order by val) a
where (select @row := @row + 1)
between @ct/2.0 and @ct/2.0 +1;

Simple Solution For ORACLE:

SELECT ROUND(MEDIAN(Lat_N), 4) FROM Station;

Easy Solution to Understand For MySQL:

select case MOD(count(lat_n),2) 
when 1 then (select round(S.LAT_N,4) from station S where (select count(Lat_N) from station where Lat_N < S.LAT_N ) = (select count(Lat_N) from station where Lat_N > S.LAT_N))
else (select round(AVG(S.LAT_N),4) from station S where 1 = (select count(Lat_N) from station where Lat_N < S.LAT_N ) - (select count(Lat_N) from station where Lat_N > S.LAT_N))
end from station;

Explanation

STATION is table name. LAT_N is the column name having numeric value

Suppose there are 101 records(odd number) in station table. This means that the median is 51st record if the tabled sorted either asc or desc.

In above query for every S.LAT_N of S table I am creating two tables. One for number of LAT_N values less than S.LAT_N and another for number of LAT_N values greater than S.LAT_N. Later I am comparing these two tables and if they are matched then I am selecting that S.LAT_N value. When I check for 51st records there are 50 values less than 51st record and there 50 records greater than 51st record. As you see, there are 50 records in both tables. So this is our answer. For every other record there are different number of records in two tables created for comparison. So, only 51st record meets the condition.

Now suppose there are 100 records(even number) in station table. This means that the median is average of 50th and 51st records if the tabled sorted either asc or desc.

Same as odd logic I am creating two tables. One for number of LAT_N values less than S.LAT_N and another for number of LAT_N values greater than S.LAT_N. Later I am comparing these two tables and if their difference is equal to 1 then I am selecting that S.LAT_N value and find the average. When I check for 50th records there are 49 values less than 50th record and there 51 records greater than 50th record. As you see, there is difference of 1 record in both tables. So this(50th record) is our 1st record for average. Similarly, When I check for 51st records there are 50 values less than 51st record and there 49 records greater than 51st record. As you see, there is difference of 1 record in both tables. So this(51st record) is our 2nd record for average. For every other record there are different number of records in two tables created for comparison. So, only 50th and 51st records meet the condition.

I am using the below table for the solution in MySQL:

CREATE TABLE transactions (
  transaction_id int , user_id int , merchant_name varchar(255), transaction_date date , amount int
);

INSERT INTO transactions (transaction_id, user_id, merchant_name, transaction_date, amount)  
VALUES (1, 1 ,'abc', '2015-08-17', 100),(2, 2, 'ced', '2015-2-17', 100),(3, 1, 'def', '2015-2-16', 121),
(4, 1 ,'ced', '2015-3-17', 110),(5, 1, 'ced', '2015-3-17', 150),(6, 2 ,'abc', '2015-4-17', 130), 
(7, 3 ,'ced', '2015-12-17', 10),(8, 3 ,'abc', '2015-8-17', 100),(9, 2 ,'abc', '2015-12-17', 140),(10, 1,'abc', '2015-9-17', 100),
(11, 1 ,'abc', '2015-08-17', 121),(12, 2 ,'ced', '2015-12-23', 130),(13, 1 ,'def', '2015-12-23', 13),(3, 4, 'abc', '2015-2-16', 120),(3, 4, 'def', '2015-2-16', 121),(3, 4, 'ced', '2015-2-16', 121);

Calculating Median for 'amount' column:

WITH Numbered AS 
(
SELECT *, COUNT(*) OVER () AS TotatRecords,
    ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY amount) AS RowNum
FROM transactions
)
SELECT Avg(amount)
FROM Numbered
WHERE RowNum IN ( FLOOR((TotatRecords+1)/2), FLOOR((TotatRecords+2)/2) )
;

TotalRecords = 16 and Median = 120.5000

This query will work for both the conditions i.e. Even and Odd records.

The following SQL Code will help you to calculate the median in MySQL using user defined variables.

create table employees(salary int);

insert into employees values(8);
insert into employees values(23);
insert into employees values(45);
insert into employees values(123);
insert into employees values(93);
insert into employees values(2342);
insert into employees values(2238);

select * from employees;

Select salary from employees  order by salary;

set @rowid=0;
set @cnt=(select count(*) from employees);
set @middle_no=ceil(@cnt/2);
set @odd_even=null;

select AVG(salary) from 
(select salary,@rowid:=@rowid+1 as rid, (CASE WHEN(mod(@cnt,2)=0) THEN @odd_even:=1 ELSE @odd_even:=0 END) as odd_even_status  from employees  order by salary) as tbl where tbl.rid=@middle_no or tbl.rid=(@middle_no+@odd_even);

If you are looking for detailed explanation, please refer this blog.

I found this answer very helpful - https://www.eversql.com/how-to-calculate-median-value-in-mysql-using-a-simple-sql-query/

SET @rowindex := -1;

SELECT
   AVG(g.grade)
FROM
   (SELECT @rowindex:=@rowindex + 1 AS rowindex,
       grades.grade AS grade
    FROM grades
    ORDER BY grades.grade) AS g
WHERE
g.rowindex IN (FLOOR(@rowindex / 2) , CEIL(@rowindex / 2));

The below query will work perfect for both even or odd number of rows. In the subquery, we are finding the value(s) which has same number of rows before and after it. In case of odd rows the having clause will evaluate to 0 (same number of rows before and after cancels out the sign).

Similarly, for even rows the having clause evaluates to 1 for two rows (the center 2 rows) because they will (collectively) have same number of rows before and after.

In the outer query, we will avg out either the single value (in case of odd rows) or (2 values in case of even rows).

select avg(val) as median
from
(
    select d1.val
    from data d1 cross join data d2
    group by d1.val
    having abs(sum(sign(d1.val-d2.val))) in (0,1)
) sub

Note: In case your table has duplicate values, the above having clause should be changed to the below condition. In this case, there could be values outside of the original possibilities of 0,1. The below condition will make this condition dynamic and work in case of duplicates too.

having sum(case when d1.val=d2.val then 1 else 0 end)>=
abs(sum(sign(d1.val-d2.val)))

Try something like :

SELECT  
CAST (AVG(val) AS DECIMAL(10,4))
FROM
(
    SELECT 
    val,
    ROW_NUMBER() OVER( ORDER BY val ) -1 AS rn,
    COUNT(1) OVER () -1 AS cnt
    FROM STATION
) as tmp
WHERE rn IN (FLOOR(cnt/2),CEILING (cnt/2))

**

Note : The reason for -1 is to make it zero indexed..i.e row number now starts from 0 instead of 1

**

I have not compared the performance of this solution to the rest of the answers posted here, but I found this to be the most straight-forward to understand, and covers the full extent of the mathematical formula for calculating a median. In other words, this solution will be robust enough for even- and odd-numbered data sets:

SELECT CASE 
-- odd-numbered data sets:
WHEN MOD(COUNT(*), 2) = 1 THEN (SELECT median.<value> AS median
FROM
(SELECT t1.<value>
  FROM (SELECT <value>, 
               ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY <value>) AS rownum
          FROM <data>) t1,
       (SELECT COUNT(*) AS num_records FROM <data>) t2
 WHERE t1.rownum =(t2.num_records) / 2) as median)
-- even-numbered data sets:
ELSE (select (low_bound.<value> + up_bound.<value>) / 2 AS median
FROM
(SELECT t1.<value>
  FROM (SELECT <value>, 
               ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY <value>) AS rownum
          FROM <data>) t1,
       (SELECT COUNT(*) AS num_records FROM <data>) t2
 WHERE t1.rownum =(t2.num_records - 1) / 2) as low_bound,
 (SELECT t1.<value>
  FROM (SELECT <value>, 
               ROW_NUMBER() OVER(ORDER BY <value>) AS rownum
          FROM station) t1,
       (SELECT COUNT(*) AS num_records FROM data) t2
 WHERE t1.rownum =(t2.num_records + 1) / 2) as up_bound)
END
FROM <data>

The most simple and fast way to calculate median in mysql.

select x.col
from   (select lat_n, 
               count(1) over (partition by 'A')        as total_rows, 
               row_number() over (order by col asc) as rank_Order 
        from   station ft) x 
where  x.rank_Order = round(x.total_rows / 2.0, 0) 

If this is MySQL, there are window functions now and you can just do it this way (assuming you want to round up to nearest integer - otherwise just replace ROUND with CEIL or FLOOR or what have you). The following solution works for tables regardless of whether they have an even number of rows or an odd number of rows:

WITH CTE AS (
    SELECT val,
            ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY val ASC) AS rn,
            COUNT(*) OVER () AS total_count
    FROM data
)
SELECT ROUND(AVG(val)) AS median
FROM CTE
WHERE
    rn BETWEEN
    total_count / 2.0 AND
    total_count / 2.0 + 1;

I think some of the more recent answers on this thread were already getting at this approach, but it also seemed like people were overthinking it, so consider this an improved version. Regardless of SQL flavor, there is no reason anyone should be writing a huge paragraph of code with multiple subqueries just to get the median in 2021. However, please note that the above query only works if you're asked to find the median for a continuous series. Of course, regardless of row number, sometimes people do make a distinction between what is referred to as the Discrete Median and what is referred to as the Interpolated Median for a continuous series.

If you're asked to find the median for a discrete series and the table has an even number of rows, the above solution will not work for you, and you should revert to using one of the other solutions, like TheJacobTaylor's.

The second solution below is a slightly modified version of TheJacobTaylor's, where I explicitly state CROSS JOIN. This will work for tables that have an odd number of rows too, regardless of whether you're asked to find the median for a continuous or discrete series, but I would specifically use this when asked to find the median of a discrete series. Otherwise, use the first solution. That way, you'll never have to think about whether the data contains an 'even' or 'odd' number of data points.

SELECT x.val AS median
FROM data x
CROSS JOIN data y
GROUP BY x.val
HAVING SUM(SIGN(1 - SIGN(y.val - x.val))) = (COUNT(*) + 1) / 2;

Finally, you can easily do this in PostgreSQL using built-in functions. Here is a nice explanation, along with an effective summary on discrete vs interpolated medians.

https://leafo.net/guides/postgresql-calculating-percentile.html#calculating-the-median

For a table station and column lat_n, here is MySQL code to get the median:

set @rows := (select count(1) from station);
set @v1 := 0;
set @sql1 := concat('select lat_n into @v1 from station order by lat_n asc limit 1 offset ', ceil(@rows/2) - 1);
prepare statement1 from @sql1;
execute statement1;
set @v2 := 0;
set @sql2 := concat('select lat_n into @v2 from station order by lat_n asc limit 1 offset ', ceil((@rows + 1)/2) - 1);
prepare statement2 from @sql2;
execute statement2;
select (@v1 + @v2)/2;

You can use window function row_number() to answer the query to find medium

select val 
from (select val, row_number() over (order by val) as rownumber, x.cnt 
from data, (select count(*) as cnt from data) x) abc
where rownumber=ceil(cnt/2);