Social Distancing Calculator
HealthEstimate maximum room occupancy under social distancing rules from room area and required distance per person. A simple space-planning reference tool.
Estimated Maximum Occupancy
32
Area Allocated per Person
31.18
What is a Social Distancing Capacity?
The Social Distancing Calculator estimates the maximum number of people that can fit in a space while maintaining a minimum distance between each person, using hexagonal circle-packing math — the mathematically tightest non-overlapping arrangement possible.
For a related gathering-planning tool, see the Event Risk Calculator.
How to use this Social Distancing Capacity calculator
- Enter the total room area in square feet.
- Enter the required distance between people in feet.
- Read the Estimated Maximum Occupancy and Area Allocated per Person instantly.
- Remember this is a theoretical maximum — real-world capacity is typically lower due to furniture, walkways, and other space constraints.
Formula & Methodology
Hexagonal circle-packing gives the tightest arrangement of non-overlapping circles: Area per Person = Distance² × (√3 ÷ 2) Maximum Occupancy = Room Area ÷ Area per Person Worked example — a 1,000 sq ft room with a 6 ft distancing requirement: Area per Person = 6² × 0.866 = 31.2 sq ft Maximum Occupancy = 1,000 ÷ 31.2 = 32 people
Frequently Asked Questions
This calculator uses hexagonal circle-packing math, treating each person as needing a circular buffer zone with the required minimum distance from every neighbor, and dividing the total room area by the space each person's zone occupies in the tightest possible non-overlapping arrangement.
Hexagonal packing is the mathematically tightest way to arrange non-overlapping circles on a flat surface, using roughly 13% less area per circle than a square grid arrangement, so it represents the maximum number of people that could theoretically fit at a given distance.
Six feet (about 1.8 metres) has been a commonly referenced distancing guideline in various public health contexts, though specific requirements vary by location, setting, and the guidance in effect at the time — this calculator defaults to 6 feet but accepts any distance value.
No — this calculator estimates occupancy from total room area only. Real spaces often have furniture, columns, or other fixed features that reduce usable floor area, so actual practical capacity is often somewhat lower than this theoretical estimate.
No — this calculator estimates capacity based purely on distancing math, while fire code occupancy limits are set by building safety regulations based on exits, square footage per person, and other safety factors entirely separate from distancing considerations.
Yes — the same area and distancing math applies to any open space, indoor or outdoor, as long as you have an accurate usable area figure.
This calculator assumes an idealized, perfectly efficient arrangement with no obstacles; real spaces have walkways, furniture, entry/exit flow, and practical constraints that typically reduce actual usable capacity below the theoretical maximum.
Because area per person scales with the square of the distance requirement, doubling the required distance roughly quarters the maximum occupancy for the same room area — a nonlinear relationship worth understanding when comparing different distancing rules.
This calculator uses square feet for room area and feet for distance; if your measurements are in metres, convert to feet first, or use the ratio directly since the underlying math works the same regardless of unit as long as both inputs use the same system.
This calculator determines how many people could physically fit in a space under a distancing rule, while the [Event Risk Calculator](/event-risk-calculator/) estimates the probability that at least one attendee is infectious — the two address different aspects of gathering-related planning.
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