Windows vs. Doors: Which Are There More of in the World?

The most accurate answer is that it depends on what you count: if you restrict the tally to structural elements in buildings and vehicles, windows likely outnumber doors; if you include furniture and appliance doors (kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, refrigerators), doors probably win by a wide margin. There is no official global census, but reasonable, up-to-date proxies suggest the balance flips based on the definition used.

Why the question is tricky

No government or international agency counts every window and door. The global mix of housing types, the rise of glass-heavy office towers, the number of vehicles on the road, and the sheer abundance of cabinets and lockers make a definitive tally impossible. The viral nature of the debate also hinges on definitions—some people count toy doors or even software “windows,” while others stick to everyday, physical features.

What counts as a window or a door?

Before comparing totals, it helps to be clear about what is in scope. The following list outlines commonly accepted inclusions when people tackle this question seriously.

• Exterior and interior doors in buildings (front doors, bedroom/bathroom doors, corridor and fire doors).
• Vehicle doors (cars, vans, buses, trains, aircraft cabins where applicable).
• Glazed window openings in buildings and vehicles (including windshields and side windows in cars, and window panels in curtain-wall façades).

Counting these elements keeps the focus on structural, functional features found in everyday buildings and transport, which is how most real-world usage aligns.

Some definitions go further—or narrower. The next list shows common exclusions adopted by those seeking a stricter, apples-to-apples comparison.

• Furniture and appliance doors (kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, fridges, ovens, lockers).
• Non-functional or toy doors and miniature models.
• Virtual or metaphorical “windows” and “doors” (software UI, calendars, board games).

Applying these exclusions simplifies the analysis and generally tilts the result toward windows, because vehicles and glassy commercial buildings contribute many windows relative to doors.

What the numbers suggest

Scenario 1: Structural-only count

By 2025, the world has roughly 8.1 billion people and about 2.4–2.6 billion occupied dwellings. A conservative average of 10–12 windows per dwelling implies on the order of 24–31 billion residential windows. Structural doors per dwelling (interior plus exterior) commonly fall around 7–12, implying roughly 19–26 billion residential doors.

Vehicles amplify the window side. With around 1.5 billion passenger cars worldwide, each typically having 7–8 windows (including windshields) and about 3–5 doors, cars alone add approximately 10.5–12 billion windows versus roughly 6 billion doors. Commercial vehicles (trucks, vans, buses) and rail rolling stock also skew window-heavy, though their totals are smaller than passenger cars. Many non-residential buildings—especially modern offices and high-rises—use extensive curtain-wall glazing, contributing very large window counts relative to door counts per floor area.

Put together, these structural-only proxies suggest windows likely exceed doors globally—plausibly by a factor near 1.3–1.8, depending on the assumptions about housing type, vehicle mix, and façade design.

Scenario 2: Include furniture and appliances

Including cabinet, wardrobe, and appliance doors changes the picture dramatically. Typical homes can have 15–30+ cabinet and closet doors, plus a handful on appliances. Applied across roughly 2.4–2.6 billion dwellings, that easily adds 40–80+ billion extra doors—enough to overtake windows even after accounting for vehicle and commercial-building glazing. Non-residential spaces (schools, hotels, hospitals, offices) add further millions of lockers, cupboards, and server racks, swelling the door total more.

Under this inclusive definition, doors almost certainly outnumber windows worldwide.

What pushes the balance toward each side

Several real-world factors pull the totals toward one side or the other. The next list explains the major forces that tend to increase window counts.

• Vehicles: Cars, buses, and trains have many more windows than doors; cars alone add billions of windows.
• Curtain-wall architecture: Glass-heavy commercial buildings divide façades into numerous window panels.
• Daylighting and energy codes: Building standards often favor larger or more numerous windows to improve daylight and reduce lighting loads.

Taken together, transport fleets and modern commercial façades create a structural bias toward higher window totals.

On the other hand, the following factors tilt the equation toward doors.

• Cabinetry and storage: Kitchens, bathrooms, closets, and offices pack in many small doors per room.
• Hospitality and institutional interiors: Hotels, hospitals, and schools have door-rich interiors (rooms, bathrooms, storage, labs).
• Appliances and equipment: Refrigerators, freezers, ovens, server cabinets, and industrial enclosures all add doors.

When these categories are included, door counts surge well beyond what windows can match, especially across billions of dwellings and workplaces.

Methodology: how to estimate it sensibly

While no precise census exists, a structured approach can yield reasonable bounds. The list below outlines a transparent method used by analysts to frame the debate.

1. Define scope: Decide whether to count only structural building/vehicle elements or include furniture and appliances.
2. Use population and household data: Estimate global dwellings (households) and apply average windows and doors per dwelling by housing type (apartments vs. detached homes).
3. Add vehicles: Multiply global vehicle stock by average windows and doors per vehicle type (cars, trucks, buses, trains, aircraft).
4. Account for non-residential buildings: Use global floor-area estimates and typical window-to-floor-area and door-to-room ratios, adjusting for building type (offices, schools, hospitals).
5. Run scenarios and ranges: Present conservative and liberal assumptions to show how sensitive the result is to definitions and averages.

This approach doesn’t deliver a single “true” number, but it does produce credible ranges and shows exactly which assumptions drive the outcome.

Bottom line

If you’re counting only the doors and windows integral to buildings and vehicles, windows probably come out on top, thanks to vehicles and glassy commercial façades. If you include cabinet, wardrobe, and appliance doors, doors almost certainly outnumber windows by tens of billions. In short, the answer hinges on definitions—and the two plausible answers are both defensible for different scopes.

Summary

There is no official tally, but the best evidence-based framing is this: windows likely outnumber doors in a structural-only count; doors likely outnumber windows when furniture and appliances are included. The deciding factor is how you define “door.”

How many windows are there in the world?

There isn’t an exact, universally accepted number for how many windows exist in the world, but estimates vary, with some sources suggesting around 57 billion windows as a recent figure. The number is difficult to pin down due to factors like definition, location (residential buildings, skyscrapers, etc.), and the constant addition of new structures. 
Why it’s hard to get an exact number:

• Definition: What counts as a “window” can vary.
• Vastness: There are billions of buildings, vehicles, and other structures containing windows worldwide. 
• Constant Change: New buildings are constructed, and old ones are renovated or demolished, constantly changing the total count. 
• Visibility: Many windows are not easily visible or accessible for counting. 

How estimates are made:
Estimates often rely on complex calculations that consider: 

• The number of buildings globally.
• The average number of windows per building or household.

How many doors are there in the world?

There is no exact count of doors in the world, but estimates range from billions to potentially tens of billions, with some sources suggesting a figure around 42 billion doors. This wide range accounts for all types of doors, including those in buildings, homes, vehicles, and even smaller cabinet and closet doors.
 
Estimating the number of doors

• The “Doors or Wheels” Debate: The question of how many doors there are often comes up in discussions comparing them to wheels, with both being estimated in the billions. 
• A Multiplied Estimate: One calculation suggests there are around 42 billion doors by estimating roughly six to seven doors per person worldwide. 
• Types of Doors: This estimate includes all kinds of doors:
  • Residential doors: Front doors, back doors, bedroom doors, and bathroom doors. 
  • Car doors: Vehicles contribute billions more doors to the total. 
  • Other doors: This also includes the many smaller doors found in closets, cabinets, and other furniture. 

Why a definitive count is difficult

• Varying definitions: It is difficult to define what counts as a door, leading to different figures. 
• Lack of data: There is no central registry or official body tracking every door globally. 
• Constant change: The number of doors is always changing, with new doors being manufactured and old ones being removed or replaced. 

What is there more of in the world, doors or windows?

It’s impossible to know definitively, but based on estimates and general observations, there are likely more windows in the world than doors. This is due to the large number of windows in skyscrapers, commercial buildings, and even typical homes, where windows often outnumber doors. While cars have more wheels than doors and some buildings have many doors (like those in closets or cupboards), the sheer quantity of windows in structures, especially large ones, suggests they have a numerical advantage. 
Arguments for more windows:

• Skyscrapers and large buildings: Opens in new tabCities are filled with immense buildings that function as towers of windows, with many floors containing numerous windows and fewer doors. 
• Standard housing: Opens in new tabEven a typical house has multiple windows per room and relatively fewer doors, leading to a higher window count. 
• Vehicles: Opens in new tabWhile cars may have fewer windows than doors, the sheer number of windows in vehicles like planes and other modes of transport further contributes to a higher overall window count. 

Arguments for more doors (and why they’re less likely):

• Cupboards and closets: Opens in new tabThe abundance of cupboard doors in kitchens and closet doors in homes can significantly increase the door count, but this may not be enough to overcome the vast number of windows. 
• Definition: Opens in new tabSome arguments favor doors by using a broader definition that includes biological structures like cell membranes, though this is generally not what is meant by the question. 

Conclusion:
Considering the vast scale of windows in modern architecture and infrastructure, it is more probable that windows outnumber doors in the world.

How many doors and windows?

Guidelines for the Total Number of Doors in a House

No. of Doors	Effects
2 Doors	Money and growth flow
4 doors	Causes extended life
6 doors	Good child bearing
8 doors	Wealth development