Mature meadow mice are about seven inches long. The tail is less than two inches long, the hind feet shorter than one inch. They are chestnut-brown mixed with black, with dark gray underparts. Feet are brownish, and the thinly haired tail is dark on the upper surface shading to a lighter gray beneath.
Eyes are small and black.
The ears are furred, and do not project much above the hair. Young are uniformly gray. Meadow mice have other common names, including round moles, field mice and meadow moles. These terms frequently lead to confusion in identification. It is important that small mammals be identified correctly before starting control activities, since materials or methods effective against one species may not be useful against another.