AWG Wire Gauge Size Chart

In the US, the most commonly used wire gauge system is AWG, or American Wire Gauge. The higher the gauge number, the smaller the wire.

The largest diameter AWG size is 0000 (4/0) which is pronounced ‘four aught’, representing a diameter of .46″. The smallest diameter is 32 AWG, representing .00795″.

The AWG gauge system only applies for solid, round, non-ferrous conducting wires. Keep this in mind when evaluating wire size and type for your application, as AWG doesn’t apply to stranded or non-round wires.

AWG Gauge Sizes for Home Wiring, Auto Wiring, and Boat Wiring

Use the AWG gauge table below to help determine the gauge that you need for your application.

Always check the product rating, which can change based on materials and manufacturing process. Tin has a much higher resistivity than copper so make sure this is taken into account when installing long runs of tinned copper wire. In high quality tinned wire, this should not be an issue. For cheaper wire, tin may represent a larger percentage of the metal used, which can increase the total resistivity of the wire. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer for specific recommendations.

AWG Gauge for Breadboard Wiring

Breadboard electronics require 22-gauge wire. Smaller diameter (24-gauge) wire will be slightly loose, and may result in a poor connection. Thicker (20-gauge) wire will bend rather than slide into breadboard holes; if forced, it can be difficult to pull out and may damage breadboard.

For more information regarding wiring and cables, see our comprehensive guide here.

AWG Gauge Table

AWG gauge	Conductor Diameter in Inches	Conductor Diameter in mm	Conductor cross section (area) in mm2	Ohms per 1000 ft.
0000	0.46	11.684	107	0.049
000	0.4096	10.40384	84.9	0.0618
00	0.3648	9.26592	67.4	0.0779
0	0.3249	8.25246	53.5	0.0983
1	0.2893	7.34822	42.4	0.1239
2	0.2576	6.54304	33.6	0.1563
3	0.2294	5.82676	26.7	0.197
4	0.2043	5.18922	21.1	0.2485
5	0.1819	4.62026	16.8	0.3133
6	0.162	4.1148	13.3	0.3951
7	0.1443	3.66522	10.6	0.4982
8	0.1285	3.2639	8.37	0.6282
9	0.1144	2.90576	6.63	0.7921
10	0.1019	2.58826	5.26	0.9989
11	0.0907	2.30378	4.17	1.26
12	0.0808	2.05232	3.31	1.588
13	0.072	1.8288	2.63	2.003
14	0.0641	1.62814	2.08	2.525
15	0.0571	1.45034	1.65	3.184
16	0.0508	1.29032	1.31	4.016
17	0.0453	1.15062	1.04	5.064
18	0.0403	1.02362	0.823	6.385
19	0.0359	0.91186	0.653	8.051
20	0.032	0.8128	0.519	10.15
21	0.0285	0.7239	0.412	12.8
22	0.0253	0.64516	0.327	16.14
23	0.0226	0.57404	0.259	20.36
24	0.0201	0.51054	0.205	25.67
25	0.0179	0.45466	0.162	32.37
26	0.0159	0.40386	0.128	40.81
27	0.0142	0.36068	0.102	51.47
28	0.0126	0.32004	0.080	64.9
29	0.0113	0.28702	0.0647	81.83
30	0.01	0.254	0.0507	103.2
31	0.0089	0.22606	0.0401	130.1
32	0.00795	0.2032	0.0324	164.1