The median is often a better representative of the central value of a data set when the data set: source is bimodal. has a high standard deviation. is highly skewed. has no outliers.

The median is a better representative of the central value of a data set when

the data set is highly skewed.

Note that

The median and average value only coincide when the distribution is perfectly normal.

Many outliers will also skew the distribution, and the median becomes a better representative.