U.S. adults, CDC data
Height Percentile Calculator for U.S. Adults (CDC Data)
See what percentile a height falls in among U.S. men or women of the same age, using CDC measured data from 2015–2018, with the full percentile table.
For adults aged 20 and over. For children and teens, doctors use the CDC growth charts, which compare height with age in months.
About the 63rd percentile: taller than about 63% of U.S. men aged 20 and over.
Measured heights of U.S. men aged 20 and over
| Percentile | Feet and inches | Centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | 5′ 4″ | 162.8 cm |
| 10th | 5′ 5½″ | 165.8 cm |
| 15th | 5′ 6″ | 167.6 cm |
| 25th | 5′ 7″ | 170.1 cm |
| 50th | 5′ 9″ | 175.4 cm |
| 75th | 5′ 11″ | 180.2 cm |
| 85th | 6′ 0″ | 182.9 cm |
| 90th | 6′ 0½″ | 184.7 cm |
| 95th | 6′ 2″ | 187.4 cm |
CDC/NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2018, measured without shoes. Feet and inches are rounded to the nearest half inch.
Everything is drawn in your browser. Names and heights are not uploaded or saved; a shared link carries them in the part of the address after the # sign, which browsers do not send to the server. Figures are simple shapes scaled to the heights you enter, so they show the difference in height, not anyone’s build.
Where the numbers come from
The percentiles come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, in which trained staff measured the standing height of 5,092 men and 5,510 women aged 20 and over in 2015–2018, without shoes. The CDC publishes the 5th, 10th, 15th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 85th, 90th and 95th percentiles for each sex and age group. Between those points, the calculator estimates the percentile on a normal (bell-curve) scale; outside the 5th to 95th range it reports below the 5th or above the 95th.
- A percentile describes a position in this survey, not whether a height is healthy.
- Older age groups are shorter on average, so compare a height within its own age group.
- For a child’s growth, use the CDC growth charts with a pediatrician.
Common questions
What percentile is 5′ 10″ for a man?
About the 63rd percentile among U.S. men aged 20 and over in the CDC’s 2015–2018 measurements, whose median was 175.4 cm (about 5′ 9″).
What is the median height of U.S. women?
The 50th percentile for women aged 20 and over was 161.3 cm, about 5′ 3½″, in the same survey.
Sources and further reading
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
How to Measure Your Height at Home Accurately
A step-by-step way to measure height at home with a wall, a flat book and a tape measure, plus why a second person gives a more reliable result.
Average Height in the United States for Men and Women
Mean height of U.S. adults from CDC measured data: 69.0 inches for men and 63.5 inches for women, and what average does and does not tell you.
Height Difference in Couples: What Research Shows
What a large UK study found about height in real couples, how often partners differ, and why heights say very little about any one relationship.
Feet, Inches and Centimeters: Converting Height Both Ways
Convert height between feet and inches and centimeters with worked examples, rounding rules and the common mistakes that make 5.5 feet look like 5′5″.
Why Your Height Changes During the Day and With Age
You may be a little taller in the morning than at night, and height declines slowly in later adulthood. Here is what research says and how to compare fairly.
Why Heights Look Different in Photos and How to Fix It
Camera height, distance, lens, posture, shoes and hair can all change how tall people look in a photo. Tips for a fair side-by-side picture.