text: how fast does the earth spin?   the speed at which the earth spins varies upon your latitudinal location on the planet. if you're standing at the north pole, the speed is almost zero but at the equator, where the circumference of the earth is greatest, the speed is about 1,038 miles per hour (1,670 kph). the mid-latitudes of the u.s. and europe speed along at 700 to 900 mph (1125 to 1450 kph).