Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.
Last reviewed:
How to average the last N values in Excel and Google Sheets
Topic:AVERAGE & central tendencyExcel & Google Sheets
=AVERAGE(OFFSET(A1,COUNTA(A1:A7)-3,0,3,1))Try it with your data
Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.
Sample data — click any cell to edit
Runs server-side · free · no signup
Step by step
- 1COUNTA(A1:A7) locates the last filled cell in the column.
- 2OFFSET steps to N rows before the end and returns a block N tall.
- 3AVERAGE divides the sum of that block by N — here (40 + 50 + 60) / 3 = 50.
Tips
- Swap both 3s for the window you want — 6 for a six-period trailing average.
- Pair this with a chart to visualise a moving trend.
Need it for your exact data?
Describe your columns in plain English and get the precise formula for your sheet, with the right Excel or Sheets syntax.
Frequently asked
Is this the same as a moving average?
It is a single trailing average of the last N values. For a moving average that recomputes down a whole column, use AVERAGE over a sliding range in each row.
More on AVERAGE & central tendency
See all →How-to
How to calculate an average
Use the AVERAGE function to calculate the arithmetic mean of a range of numbers in Excel or Google Sheets.
How-toHow to average ignoring zeros
Use AVERAGEIF with a "<>0" criterion to calculate an average that excludes zero values from the calculation.
How-toHow to average ignoring blank cells
AVERAGE naturally ignores blank cells; use AVERAGEIF with "<>" to also ignore text placeholders like dashes.
How-toHow to average with a condition
Use AVERAGEIF to compute the mean of values in one column where a corresponding column meets a specified criterion.
How-toHow to calculate a moving average
Compute a rolling average for each row using AVERAGE with a fixed-window OFFSET or INDEX formula anchored to each row.
How-toHow to find the median of a range
Use the MEDIAN function to find the middle value in a dataset — the value that half the data falls above and half below.