Standard Width of Twin Bed

Twin Popularity

• Twin and twin XL are the second most common bed sizes used by consumers in the United States. Citing industry sources, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says 29.3 percent of consumers use twin beds, while 34.9 percent use queen-size beds. Another 19.9 percent use full-size while only 11.5 percent use king-size and 4.4 percent of consumers use other sizes, which include youth beds and cribs.

Twin Dimensions

• The standard twin bed is 39 inches wide. Depending on manufacturer, the width can be up to 1 inch smaller than that if you check it with a measuring tape. Nevertheless, usually any variance is in fractions of an inch rather than a full inch, and twin mattresses are generally labeled as being 39 inches wide. However, twin beds do vary more by length. Twin beds come in lengths of either 75 inches or 80 inches. Twin beds that are 75 inches long are generally called standard twin beds while those that are 80 inches long are referred to as extra long, or XL, twins.

Bedding

• When looking for bedding for a twin-size bed, make sure you know whether it is a standard or extra-long twin bed size. In many college dormitories, twin-size beds are the only size used. Therefore, if you are the parent of a student headed to college in the fall, it is a fairly safe bet that he or she will need sheets, blankets and a bedspread that fit a twin bed. Nevertheless, double-check beforehand to find out what length the bed is. Bedding for a 75-inch-long twin size bed is not long enough for the 80-inch version of a twin bed. Bedding for an 80-inch long twin is labeled extra long or XL and can be more expensive and difficult to find than bedding for a standard twin.

Advantages

• Although twin beds are wide enough to accommodate only one person, they are actually comparatively roomy for a sleeper. For example, the standard width of a full-size bed is only 54 inches, while a queen's is 60 inches and a king's is 76 inches. If two people are sharing a bed, dividing those dimensions in half gives each sleeper on a full-size bed only 27 inches, on a queen only 30 inches and on a king only 38. In addition, bedding for a standard twin is less expensive than that for other bedding sizes.