How Heavy Is a Gallon of Milk?
a Gallon of Milk weighs about
3.9 kg (8.61 lb)
Computed value (volume × density); the inputs are cited under Sources below.
- a bowling ball7.26 kg
heaviest ball allowed in tenpin bowling (16 lb); USBC sets no minimum weight
- a domestic cat4.5 kg
adult domestic cat (Felis catus); males larger; range 4.1–5.4 kg
- a gallon of milk3.9 kg
1 US gallon (3.785 412 L) of whole milk, 3.25% milkfat, density from USDA's 976 g per quart
- a gallon of water3.78 kg
1 US gallon (3.785 412 L) of pure water at 4 °C
- You
Open full comparison → to add more objects on one scale.
Put it in perspective
- About 1.0× a gallon of water
- About 1.2× a domestic cat
- About 1.9× a bowling ball
Why weights differ
Density is derived from USDA FoodData Central's portion weight for one quart (976 g) divided by the exact US quart (0.946 352 946 L), giving 1.0313 kg/L. Fat content shifts the density by about 1%.
Sources
[1] National Institute of Standards and Technology
NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9: Factors for units listed by kind of quantity or field of scienceStandard body
“gallon (U.S.) (gal) liter (L) 3.785 412 E+00”
Value as published: 1 gallon (U.S.) = 3.785 412 L · accessed 2026-11-11.
[2] U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central
FoodData Central: Milk, whole, 3.25% milkfat, with added vitamin D (FDC 171265)Government agency
“"gramWeight":976 ... "modifier":"quart"”
Value as published: 1 quart of whole milk = 976 g · accessed 2026-11-11.
How this value was computed
- volume-l: 3.785412 L — 来源 [1] (source [1])
- density-kg-per-l: 1.03134 kg/L — 来源 [2] (source [2])
Last updated 2026-11-11.Report a correction (please include a source link).
Related objects
- a gallon of water3.78 kg (8.34 lb)
- a watermelon4.52 kg (9.96 lb)
- a 5 lb bag of flour2.268 kg (5 lb)
- a liter of water1 kg (2.2 lb)
- 5 gallons of water18.9 kg (41.7 lb)
- a loaf of bread0.567 kg (1.25 lb)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gallon of milk weigh?
a Gallon of Milk weighs about 3.9 kg (8.61 lb) — 1 US gallon (3.785 412 L) of whole milk, 3.25% milkfat, density from USDA's 976 g per quart.
How much is a gallon of milk in pounds and ounces?
8.61 lb, which is 138 oz. In metric terms: 3.9 kg.
Is a gallon of milk heavier than a gallon of water?
Yes. a Gallon of Milk weighs about 3.9 kg (8.61 lb), while a gallon of water is about 3.78 kg (8.34 lb) — roughly 1.0×.
Why do sources give different weights?
Density is derived from USDA FoodData Central's portion weight for one quart (976 g) divided by the exact US quart (0.946 352 946 L), giving 1.0313 kg/L. Fat content shifts the density by about 1%.
Where does this number come from?
Every source is listed at the bottom of this page with publisher, link, access date and a verbatim quote. Numbers are only published when a qualifying source can be verified.