The Grapes of Wrath by the numbers
John Steinbeck · first published 1939 · dataset 2026-10-24
Who it is not for: readers below 10th grade: no school list in our data assigns it earlier. At 464 pages it is also longer than the median book listed for grades 9-12 (273), so it is not a quick read.
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Length and reading time
| Pages (dataset edition) | 464 |
|---|---|
| Estimated words | 128,000 |
| Reading time, 300 wpm (fast) | 7 h 5 min |
| Reading time, 250 wpm (average adult) | 8 h 30 min |
| Reading time, 200 wpm (careful / younger reader) | 10 h 38 min |
| Days at 20 minutes a day | 26 |
| Lexile measure | 680L |
At 464 pages, The Grapes of Wrath is longer than 97.0% of the 2,330 books on the reading lists we track whose page count we know (2,809 books are tracked in all). It is longer than the median book listed for grades 9-12 (273 pages).
The Grapes of Wrath is 464 pages; the median book listed for grades 9-12 is 273 pages and the median of all 2,330 listed books with a page count is 187.
Source: Page counts of 2,330 books on U.S. school reading lists, bookstatistics.com · Dataset snapshot 2026-10-24
Show the numbers
| Book | Pages |
|---|---|
| The Grapes of Wrath | 464 pages |
| Median book listed for grades 9-12 | 273 pages |
| Median of all listed books | 187 pages |
Word counts and reading times are estimates: pages × 275 words, divided by the reading speed. Your edition's page count and your own pace will differ.
Where The Grapes of Wrath is on school reading lists
3 appearances (0.0% of all 20,804 listings in the dataset), drawn from 3 published lists, in grades 10th–11th. 3 of the 3 carry a link to the published source document.
| Grade | Listings |
|---|---|
| 10th | 1 |
| 11th | 2 |
Sources
- CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 11-CCR exemplar · checked 2026-05-29
- AP Lit representative text list · checked 2026-05-29
- CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 story exemplar · checked 2026-05-29
Questions
How many pages is The Grapes of Wrath?
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck is 464 pages in the edition recorded in our dataset. Page counts vary by edition and format; at about 275 words per page that is roughly 128,000 words. See how long assigned books are, grade by grade.
How long does it take to read The Grapes of Wrath?
About 8 h 30 min at an average adult pace of 250 words per minute (7 h 5 min at 300 wpm, 10 h 38 min at 200 wpm). At 20 minutes a day that is about 26 days. Compare a book of about the same length: Little Women.
Is The Grapes of Wrath on school reading lists?
Yes. It appears 3 times on the U.S. school reading lists, award lists and curricula in our dataset, in 2 national curricula (no single state), most often in grades 9-12. That ranks it #2,535 of 2,809 listed books. See the most assigned books, ranked.
When was The Grapes of Wrath first published?
The Grapes of Wrath was first published in 1939, 87 years ago. See how old assigned books are, decade by decade.
Related
- The Grapes of Wrath: reading level, grades and similar booksOn ReadingList, our sister site for school reading lists.
- More by John SteinbeckOf Mice and Men · The Pearl
- Books of about the same lengthLittle Women (449 pp.) · A Tale of Two Cities (448 pp.) · Pride and Prejudice (432 pp.) · The Unwanteds (416 pp.)
- The most assigned books, rankedAll 2,809 listed books start here.
- Book length statisticsHow long assigned books are, by grade.
Cite this page
<a href="https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-grapes-of-wrath/">The Grapes of Wrath statistics</a>. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [The Grapes of Wrath statistics](https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-grapes-of-wrath/). Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site. [url=https://bookstatistics.com/books/the-grapes-of-wrath/]The Grapes of Wrath statistics[/url]. Book Statistics, a Figures Bureau site.