Clam Sizes Explained: Littleneck vs Cherrystone vs Quahog (Size Chart)

This guide gives you a simple clam size chart, explains how clams are measured, compares littlenecks, cherrystones and quahogs side by side, and shows which size to buy for every dish.

Clam Size Chart

Use this chart as a buying guide. The numbers are approximate. Clam sizes are not standardized, so every harvester and market grades a little differently.

Are Littlenecks, Cherrystones and Quahogs the Same Clam?

Yes. Countnecks, littlenecks, middlenecks, topnecks, cherrystones and chowder clams are all the same species: the northern hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria. It is also called the hardshell clam or the quahog. A littleneck is simply a young, small quahog. Leave it in the water for a few more years and it becomes a topneck, then a cherrystone, then a chowder clam.

The word "quahog" comes from the Narragansett word poquauhock. In everyday New England use, "quahog" can mean any hard clam, but at the fish counter it usually means the largest size, the chowder clam.

Two of the size names come from places. Littlenecks are named after Little Neck Bay on Long Island, New York, and cherrystones are named after Cherrystone Creek in Virginia.

How Clams Are Measured

There are two common ways to measure a hard clam:

• ✓Shell width. The distance straight across the shell, the longest side. This is the number most seafood sellers use, and it is the shell width column in the chart above.
• ✓Hinge thickness (hinge width). How thick the clam is when it is closed, measured across the hinge. Shellfish laws use this number.

Restaurants and wholesalers also sell clams by count, meaning how many clams are in a pound or in a bag. That is why the chart gives a clams-per-pound number for each size.

Each Clam Size Explained

Countneck Clams

Countnecks are the smallest hard clams you can legally harvest, right at the 1 inch hinge minimum. They are the most tender of all and cook in just a few minutes. Many sellers group them with littlenecks, so you will often see them sold as "count/littlenecks." Use them in pasta, seafood stews and any dish where you want lots of small clams in the shell.

Littleneck Clams

Littlenecks are the most popular hard clam size. They measure about 1.5 to 2 inches across, and you get about 10 to 13 in a pound. The meat is small, sweet and tender, which makes them the classic clam for eating raw on the half shell. They are also the best size for steaming with garlic and white wine and for linguine with clam sauce (linguine alle vongole), because they open quickly and look good in the bowl.

Middleneck Clams

Middlenecks sit between littlenecks and topnecks, at about 2 to 2.5 inches across and 7 to 9 per pound. Not every seller uses this name. Use them the same way you use littlenecks: raw, steamed or in pasta. They give you a little more meat per clam.

Topneck Clams

Topnecks are medium hard clams, about 2.5 to 3 inches across and 5 to 7 per pound. They have a fuller flavor and a slightly firmer bite than littlenecks. Topnecks still work raw on the half shell, and they are a great size for grilling, steaming and appetizers served in the shell.

Cherrystone Clams

Cherrystones are large hard clams, about 3 to 4 inches across, with roughly 3 to 4 clams per pound. The meat is chewier and more flavorful, so cherrystones are usually cooked rather than eaten raw. They are the classic size for clams casino and baked or stuffed clams, because the big shell holds plenty of breadcrumb stuffing. They are also good grilled with herb butter or chopped into a thick chowder.

Chowder Clams (Quahogs)

Chowder clams are the biggest hard clams, 4 inches across and up, at only 1 to 2 clams per pound. They are the oldest clams in the bed, and their meat is tough if you cook it whole. That is why they are almost always chopped or minced. In return, they give you the most meat and the most clam juice (clam liquor) per clam, which is exactly what you want for New England clam chowder, Rhode Island stuffies, clam cakes, fritters and clam pie.

Littleneck vs Cherrystone vs Quahog

These are the three names people mix up the most. Here is the difference at a glance:

Which Clam Size Should You Buy?

Can you swap sizes? Yes, with a little care. If a recipe calls for littlenecks and you only have bigger clams, chop the meat after cooking so it is not chewy. If a chowder recipe calls for quahogs and you use smaller clams, you will need more clams to get the same amount of meat and juice. For ready-to-use clam meat, chopped surf clams are another easy option for chowder.

Planning a party? See our seafood portion guide for how many clams to buy per person, or our guide on how to build a raw bar at home if you are serving littlenecks raw.

Why Clam Size Names Vary

There is no single national standard for clam size names. Aquaculture experts at the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center note that hard clam size categories are not standardized. In practice, that means:

• ✓The inch ranges change a little from one seller to the next.
• ✓Some sellers skip countnecks or middlenecks and use only three or four sizes.
• ✓A few regional sources even list topnecks as larger than cherrystones.
• ✓Farmed clam growers often add very small sizes, such as "button" and "pasta" clams, below the littleneck.

The order that almost everyone agrees on is: countneck, littleneck, middleneck, topneck, cherrystone, chowder. If you need an exact size, ask your seller for the count per pound. It is the most reliable way to compare.

Hard Clams vs Other Clams

This size chart is only for hard clams (quahogs). Other clams have their own names and are not graded this way:

• ✓Steamers are soft shell clams with a thin, brittle shell and a long neck. See our guide to New England steamer clams.
• ✓Surf clams are much larger ocean clams used for clam strips and chopped clam meat. Fried whole belly clams come from soft shell clams, not surf clams.
• ✓Razor clams have a long, narrow shell shaped like an old straight razor.
• ✓Manila clams are a different, smaller species, mostly farmed on the West Coast.

For a full look at every New England species, read our guide to the types of clams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the sizes of clams from smallest to largest?

For hard clams, the sizes from smallest to largest are countneck, littleneck, middleneck, topneck, cherrystone and chowder clam (quahog). All of them are the same species, Mercenaria mercenaria.

Are littleneck clams and quahogs the same?

Yes. A littleneck is a small, young quahog. "Quahog" is the name of the species, and it is also the market name for the largest size, the chowder clam.

Which is bigger, a littleneck or a cherrystone?

A cherrystone is bigger. Littlenecks are about 1.5 to 2 inches across, while cherrystones are about 3 to 4 inches across.

Which is bigger, a topneck or a cherrystone?

In most markets, a cherrystone is bigger than a topneck. Topnecks are about 2.5 to 3 inches across and cherrystones are about 3 to 4 inches. A few regional sources swap the two names, so check the count per pound if you need to be sure.

How many littleneck clams are in a pound?

About 10 to 13 littlenecks make a pound, depending on how the seller grades them. Middlenecks run about 7 to 9 per pound and topnecks about 5 to 7 per pound.

What is a middleneck clam?

A middleneck is the size between a littleneck and a topneck, about 2 to 2.5 inches across. You can use middlenecks the same way as littlenecks.

What is the smallest legal clam size?

In Massachusetts and New York, a hard clam must be at least 1 inch thick at the hinge to be harvested. Clams right at that size are called countnecks. Rules can differ by state and town, so recreational clammers should check local regulations.

What are the best clams to eat raw?

Littlenecks are the classic raw clam because they are the most tender and sweet. Topnecks also work on the half shell if you like a bigger bite.

What size clam is best for chowder?

Quahogs, also called chowder clams, are the best for chowder. They have the most meat and juice per clam, and chopping takes care of their tough texture.

What size clams are used for stuffed clams?

Cherrystones and quahogs. Their large shells hold the most stuffing, and their chopped meat goes into the filling.

How old is a littleneck clam?

It depends on water temperature. In warm Southern waters, farmed hard clams reach market size in about 12 to 24 months. Wild clams in colder New England waters grow more slowly, so a chowder clam can be many years old.

More From Intershell

Keep exploring with these guides and recipes.

• Guide: Clams (New England Species)
• Homemade New England Clam Chowder
• New England Steamer Clams
• How to Build a Raw Bar at Home

Sources: Size ranges and counts are compiled from the Virginia Marine Products Board hard clam fact sheet, the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC) hard clam fact sheet, Marx Foods and the Stonington Shellfish Commission. Legal size: Massachusetts regulation 322 CMR 6.20. Name origins: North Carolina Sea Grant and Wikipedia (Hard clam).