diff --git a/packages/api/src/jobs/update_home.ts b/packages/api/src/jobs/update_home.ts
index 40e79ae21..f59d1e3d9 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/jobs/update_home.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/jobs/update_home.ts
@@ -428,8 +428,7 @@ const mixHomeItems = (
 
   const topCandidates = rankedHomeItems.slice(0, 50)
 
-  // find the median word count
-  const wordCountThreshold = 500
+  const wordCountThreshold = 250
   // separate items into two groups based on word count
   const shortItems: Array<Candidate> = []
   const longItems: Array<Candidate> = []