A year has 52 Thursdays, or 53 Thursdays when January 1 falls on a Thursday, or on a Wednesday in a leap year. Most years have 52. In the 2020 to 2035 period, only 2020, 2026 and 2032 have 53.
This guide explains the calculation, shows a table of Thursday counts by year, and gives a quick rule to check any year without a calendar.
Number of Thursdays in a Year
| Year type | Days | Thursdays |
|---|---|---|
| Common year | 365 | 52, or 53 if January 1 is a Thursday |
| Leap year | 366 | 52, or 53 if January 1 is a Wednesday or Thursday |
How the Calculation Works
A year contains 52 full weeks, and every full week has exactly one Thursday.
52 weeks × 7 days = 364 days
That leaves leftover days:
- Common year (365 days): 1 extra day, which is the weekday of January 1
- Leap year (366 days): 2 extra days, which are the weekdays of January 1 and January 2
A 53rd Thursday appears only if one of those leftover days is a Thursday.
When Does a Year Have 53 Thursdays?
A year has 53 Thursdays if:
- It is a common year and January 1 is a Thursday, or
- It is a leap year and January 1 is a Wednesday or Thursday
In a common year starting on Thursday, December 31 is also a Thursday. In a leap year starting on Wednesday, the first Thursday is January 2 and the last is December 31.
Thursdays in a Year: 2020 to 2035
| Year | Leap year? | January 1 | Thursdays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Yes | Wednesday | 53 |
| 2021 | No | Friday | 52 |
| 2022 | No | Saturday | 52 |
| 2023 | No | Sunday | 52 |
| 2024 | Yes | Monday | 52 |
| 2025 | No | Wednesday | 52 |
| 2026 | No | Thursday | 53 |
| 2027 | No | Friday | 52 |
| 2028 | Yes | Saturday | 52 |
| 2029 | No | Monday | 52 |
| 2030 | No | Tuesday | 52 |
| 2031 | No | Wednesday | 52 |
| 2032 | Yes | Thursday | 53 |
| 2033 | No | Saturday | 52 |
| 2034 | No | Sunday | 52 |
| 2035 | No | Monday | 52 |
Years with 53 Thursdays (2020-2035): 2020, 2026 and 2032.
FAQs
Q: Can a year have more than 53 Thursdays?
No. The maximum is 53.
Q: Do leap years automatically have 53 Thursdays?
No. Leap years only add a 53rd Thursday when the year begins on Wednesday or Thursday.
Q: How many Thursdays are in a 365-day year?
Always 52, unless January 1 is Thursday, which creates 53.
Q. How many Thursdays are in a 366-day leap year?
Usually 52, but sometimes 53 depending on how the days align.
Conclusion
Most years have 52 Thursdays. A 53rd Thursday appears only when January 1 is a Thursday, or a Wednesday in a leap year. Use the January 1 rule or the table above to find the count for any year.