There is no easy answer to whether the average is better than the mode - it depends entirely on the data set in front of you. If the data is normally distributed and has no outliers, then you should probably use the average, as it will present you with the most representative value. The mode, however, is more robust and will present the most common value, regardless of any outliers. The mode should always be used with categorical data - that is, data with distinct groups - as the groups are not continuous. Read more