Am I tall, short, or average for my country?

The NCD-RisC data is among the most comprehensive height databases available, covering surveys from 1914 to 2014. Country-level estimates are based on measured (not self-reported) heights where possible. However, data quality varies by country: wealthier nations with established health survey infrastructure have more precise estimates. Figures for some lower-income countries involve greater uncertainty. The US data is additionally validated against CDC/NCHS NHANES measured values.

The population datasets used are collected and reported by sex (biological sex as recorded at birth or in clinical settings), which is distinct from gender identity. The distributions are based on measured heights for males and females as defined in the source surveys. There is currently no large-scale population dataset that provides height distributions for non-binary or transgender individuals with the statistical power needed for a reliable percentile calculator.

Yes. All figures in this calculator refer to adult heights (typically defined as 18 years and older in the source datasets). Height percentiles for children and adolescents are a different calculation that requires age-specific growth charts. The CDC growth charts cover height for age from 2 to 20 years in the US, while the WHO Child Growth Standards provide international references for infants and children under 5. Neither should be compared to adult population norms. For babies and toddlers, the baby height percentile calculator uses the appropriate paediatric reference data.

The calculator includes the 20 countries with the most traffic and best-quality data. If your country is not listed, select the country geographically and culturally closest to yours. For example, users from New Zealand may find Australia a reasonable proxy, and users from neighbouring European countries may use Germany or France. Note that this introduces additional uncertainty into the result.

In most countries, average height increased substantially during the 20th century as nutrition and public health improved. The Netherlands saw one of the largest gains: Dutch men grew an average of 20 cm taller between 1870 and 2000. In many wealthy countries this secular trend has now plateaued. In some countries, notably in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, height gains stalled or reversed in certain birth cohorts during periods of economic or political instability. The NCD-RisC data is aligned to approximately the 2000s birth cohort for adults, so there may be some divergence from the very tallest or shortest age cohorts within a country.

A height of 6 feet (183 cm) places a US man at approximately the 85th percentile, meaning he is taller than 85 out of 100 adult men in the United States. This figure comes from NHANES 2015–2018 data, which uses measured rather than self-reported heights. The 85th percentile is often perceived as very tall socially, but it is not exceptional in a statistical sense, 15% of US men meet or exceed this height. Context matters: in the Netherlands, where the average male height is 182.5 cm, 6 feet would only reach the 51st percentile. In Guatemala, where the average is 163.4 cm, 6 feet would place a man above the 99th percentile. (Source: Fryar et al. 2021, NCHS Vital and Health Statistics)

Average male height varies substantially by country. In the United States, the average adult man is 175.4 cm (5 feet 9 inches), based on measured heights from the CDC NHANES 2015–2018 survey. In the United Kingdom the figure is nearly identical at 175.3 cm. The tallest male populations in the world are in the Netherlands (182.5 cm) and Denmark (181.4 cm). Among the shortest are Guatemala (163.4 cm) and Indonesia (165.7 cm). Globally, pooling all countries, the average adult male height is approximately 171 cm (5 feet 7 inches) according to NCD-RisC 2020 data. These figures represent adults from roughly the 1996 birth cohort, who benefited from 20th-century improvements in nutrition and public health. Country-level height averages alongside other physical measurements are compiled on the body statistics page. (Source: NCD-RisC 2020; Fryar et al. 2021)

In the United States, the average adult woman is 161.5 cm (5 feet 3.6 inches), from CDC NHANES 2015–2018 measured data. UK women average 161.6 cm. The tallest female populations in the world are in Latvia and the Netherlands at approximately 170 cm. The global average for adult women across all countries is approximately 159 cm (5 feet 2.5 inches). In most countries, women are 11–14 cm shorter than men of the same nationality. The gap tends to narrow in countries where female nutritional access has historically been more restricted, because male height is more sensitive to nutritional deprivation and suffers proportionally more when nutrition is poor. (Source: NCD-RisC 2020; Fryar et al. 2021)

Approximately 80% of height variation within a population is attributable to genetic factors, making height one of the most heritable physical traits. This estimate comes from twin studies comparing identical twins raised apart with those raised together. The remaining 20% is environmental, driven primarily by childhood nutrition, infectious disease burden during developmental years, and access to healthcare. This figure is a population-level statistic: it means that within a population sharing broadly similar environmental conditions, 80% of the difference in height between individuals is explained by genetics. The 20th-century secular trend, average heights rising by roughly 1 cm per decade, demonstrates the power of that environmental 20% across generations. (Source: Silventoinen et al. 2003, Twin Research; NCD-RisC 2016)

Research consistently finds that height influences perceived attractiveness, particularly for men. Stulp et al. (2013, PLOS ONE, n=650 Dutch participants) found taller men were rated as more attractive, with an optimal height approximately 6–8 cm above the population mean, roughly 181–183 cm in the Netherlands or 181–182 cm in the US. The relationship is not linear: men above 195 cm were rated slightly less attractive than those at the optimal height. For women, shorter stature is generally preferred in mate selection research, but the effect size is smaller. The most consistent finding across studies is that the height differential between partners matters: most heterosexual couples have a taller male partner, and both sexes report preferences for a gap of roughly 8–13 cm. These are population-level patterns, not individual determinants. (Source: Stulp et al. 2013, PLOS ONE)

For most people, height growth stops in the late teens. Boys typically stop growing between ages 17 and 21, girls between 14 and 16, though timing varies based on genetics and puberty onset. Growth ends when the growth plates in the long bones fuse, confirmed by bone age X-ray rather than chronological age. If you are over 21, you are almost certainly at your final adult height. After roughly age 30, gradual height loss begins due to spinal disc compression, loss of muscle tone, and eventually osteoporosis. This averages approximately 1 cm per decade between 30 and 70, accelerating after 70. A person who was 180 cm at 30 may measure 176–177 cm at 80, biologically normal but often surprising. This calculator is for adults 18 and over. For children and teens, CDC growth charts (ages 2–20) are the appropriate reference. (Source: Fryar et al. 2021; Sorkin et al. 1999, American Journal of Epidemiology)