How do you rank in the global height data?
Enter your height, select your country and sex, and see exactly where you stand against national population data.
How tall am I compared to others?
A height percentile tells you what share of people in a given population you are taller than. If you are at the 70th percentile, you are taller than 70% of people of the same sex in your country. The number itself is based on a normal distribution fitted to national population data.
The data powering this calculator comes from NCD-RisC (Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration), a network of epidemiologists who pooled height measurements from 18.6 million participants across 200 countries. Their 2016 and 2020 papers are the most comprehensive cross-national height studies ever published.
Average height by country
The table below shows the mean heights used in this calculator, drawn from the NCD-RisC 2020 analysis of the 1996 birth cohort - the best available estimate of current adult height for each country.
| Country | Men (cm) | Women (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 182.5 | 168.7 |
| Denmark | 181.4 | 167.2 |
| Germany | 180.3 | 166.2 |
| Australia | 179.2 | 165.0 |
| UK | 177.5 | 163.5 |
| USA | 175.4 | 161.5 |
| Brazil | 173.6 | 161.1 |
| China | 173.4 | 161.4 |
| India | 166.5 | 155.2 |
| Indonesia | 165.7 | 153.7 |
| Guatemala | 163.4 | 149.4 |
Source: NCD-RisC 2020 birth cohort 1996 data.
Has the world been getting taller?
Yes - substantially. Across the 20th century, most populations gained roughly 1 cm per decade in average height. South Korean women saw the most dramatic increase: an average gain of approximately 20 cm over the past 100 years, driven by improvements in nutrition and healthcare access during rapid economic development.
This secular trend is now slowing or plateauing in high-income countries, where childhood nutrition and healthcare are already close to optimal. In the Netherlands and Scandinavia, average male height has been broadly stable since the 1980s. The gains are now concentrated in countries undergoing rapid development in East Asia and parts of Latin America.
Height and genetics vs. nutrition
How much of height is genetic?
Twin studies consistently find that roughly 80% of the variation in adult height within a population is explained by genetic factors. This figure - known as heritability - means that in an environment with adequate nutrition, genes are the dominant influence on how tall any individual ends up. Genome-wide association studies have identified hundreds of genetic variants that each contribute a small amount to adult height.
The role of childhood nutrition and healthcare
The remaining 20% is shaped primarily by childhood nutrition, access to healthcare, and early-life disease burden. Protein intake, micronutrient availability (especially zinc and calcium), and freedom from chronic infection during the first two years of life have the largest effects. This is why the same genetic population can show meaningfully different average heights across generations when living standards change rapidly - as seen in South Korea, Japan, and parts of southern Europe over the 20th century.
Height percentile for children vs. adults
This calculator is designed for adults. For children and adolescents, growth is still in progress and height must be interpreted against age-specific reference charts. The CDC (USA) and WHO both publish standardised growth charts for children from birth through age 20 that account for the normal variation in growth timing. If you are under 18, or are assessing a child's growth, use those charts rather than this calculator.
Frequently asked questions
6 feet (183 cm) puts a man in approximately the 75th percentile in the Netherlands, the 85th percentile in the USA, and above the 95th percentile in countries like India or Indonesia. For women, 183 cm is extremely rare in any country - above the 99th percentile almost everywhere. The exact figure depends on the country selected in the calculator above.
Based on NCD-RisC data (2020 birth cohort 1996), the mean height for US men is approximately 175.4 cm (5 ft 9 in) and for US women approximately 161.5 cm (5 ft 3.6 in). CDC NHANES data for adults aged 20 and over gives comparable figures: around 175.3 cm for men and 161.3 cm for women. Both sources agree closely.
Most people reach their final adult height by their late teens. In males, growth plates (the cartilage regions at the ends of long bones) typically close between ages 17 and 21. In females, closure is usually complete by ages 15 to 17. Once growth plates have fused, additional height gain is not possible. If you are under 18, consider consulting a paediatrician rather than using this adult calculator.
Research on this is mixed and context-dependent. Some survey studies find stated height preferences in partner selection, but the effect size is modest and preference patterns vary substantially across cultures. Importantly, self-reported preferences in surveys do not always predict actual behaviour. Confidence, communication, and social skills are consistently better predictors of relationship outcomes than height alone.
- NCD-RisC (2016/2020). eLife - A century of trends in adult human height
- CDC/NCHS NHANES - Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults
- Health Survey for England, NHS Digital