Ton to Pound Converter
Convert tons to pounds for a US short ton, a UK long ton or a metric tonne, with kilograms too.
A US short ton is exactly 2,000 lb, so multiply short tons by 2,000: 2.5 tons is 5,000 lb, or 2,267.9619 kg. A UK long ton is 2,240 lb, and a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6226 lb. Pick the ton your quote or label uses, since the three differ by up to 12%.
This converter uses the exact definitions of the pound and of each ton, so the results are exact apart from display rounding to four decimals. It does not know which ton a seller or document means; check the quote or label before you order or compare prices.
2.5 short tons in pounds
5,000 lb
- Kilograms
- 2,267.9619 kg
- UK long tons
- 2.2321
- Metric tonnes
- 2.268
A short ton is 2,000 lb, a long ton 2,240 lb, and a tonne 1,000 kg (about 2,204.6 lb).
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About the Ton to Pound Converter
Three different tons are in common use, so the first question is which one you have. In the United States a ton almost always means the short ton of 2,000 lb. The long ton of 2,240 lb is the older British ton, still used for some shipping. The metric ton, or tonne, is 1,000 kg, and since a pound is exactly 0.45359237 kg under the international definition that NIST lists, a tonne is about 2,204.6226 lb. The converter also gives kilograms and the same amount in the other two tons, so you can compare a metric quote with a US one: 1 tonne is about 1.1023 short tons, and 1 long ton is exactly 1.12 short tons. Gravel, asphalt and other bulk materials are often quoted by the short ton in the US.
Frequently asked questions
How many pounds are in a ton?+
2,000 lb in a US short ton, 2,240 lb in a UK long ton, and about 2,204.6226 lb in a metric tonne of 1,000 kg.
Is a metric ton larger than a short ton?+
Yes. A tonne is about 2,204.6 lb, roughly 10% more than a US short ton of 2,000 lb. It is slightly less than a UK long ton of 2,240 lb.
How do I convert pounds to tons?+
Divide by the pounds in your ton. For short tons divide by 2,000, so 5,000 lb is 2.5 tons; for long tons divide by 2,240; for tonnes divide pounds by about 2,204.6, or kilograms by 1,000.
Which ton does a truck or delivery quote use?+
In the US it is almost always the short ton of 2,000 lb. If a quote says metric ton, tonne or t, it means 1,000 kg. Ask the seller if the quote does not say.
Pound (avoirdupois) = 0.45359237 kg exactly, ton, short = 2,000 lb, ton, long = 2,240 lb and ton, metric = 1,000 kg: National Institute of Standards and Technology, Special Publication 811, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units, Appendix B.8, Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically, footnote 22 for the exact pound.
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