Average height by age: girls and boys
Median and percentile heights for children aged 2 to 19, with adult reference heights, in centimetres and feet and inches. Sources are cited under each table.
How to use these charts
Find the child’s age, then compare their height with the columns. The 50th percentile is the median: half of the reference group are shorter and half are taller. The 5th and 95th percentiles mark the range that covers 90 out of every 100 children in the group. Heights are in centimetres, and the last column shows the median in feet and inches.
The data are the CDC growth charts for the United States, so they describe US children. UK health professionals use the UK-WHO charts from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Use these tables as a general guide, not as a medical assessment.
Girls: height by age (CDC)
| Age | 5th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 95th | Median in feet & in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 years | 79.3 | 82.6 | 85 | 87.3 | 90.7 | 2 ft 9.5 in |
| 3 years | 87.8 | 91.6 | 94.2 | 96.9 | 100.8 | 3 ft 1.1 in |
| 4 years | 94 | 98.1 | 101 | 104 | 108.4 | 3 ft 3.8 in |
| 5 years | 100.4 | 104.8 | 108 | 111.2 | 116.1 | 3 ft 6.5 in |
| 6 years | 106.9 | 111.6 | 115 | 118.6 | 123.9 | 3 ft 9.3 in |
| 7 years | 113.1 | 118.1 | 121.8 | 125.6 | 131.3 | 3 ft 11.9 in |
| 8 years | 118.5 | 123.9 | 127.8 | 131.9 | 137.9 | 4 ft 2.3 in |
| 9 years | 123.2 | 129 | 133.1 | 137.4 | 143.8 | 4 ft 4.4 in |
| 10 years | 127.5 | 133.7 | 138.2 | 142.8 | 149.6 | 4 ft 6.4 in |
| 11 years | 132.4 | 139.4 | 144.3 | 149.2 | 156.4 | 4 ft 8.8 in |
| 12 years | 139.2 | 146.5 | 151.5 | 156.4 | 163.5 | 4 ft 11.6 in |
| 13 years | 145.9 | 152.7 | 157.3 | 162 | 168.6 | 5 ft 1.9 in |
| 14 years | 149.7 | 156 | 160.5 | 164.9 | 171.3 | 5 ft 3.2 in |
| 15 years | 151.3 | 157.5 | 161.9 | 166.3 | 172.6 | 5 ft 3.7 in |
| 16 years | 151.9 | 158.2 | 162.6 | 166.9 | 173.2 | 5 ft 4 in |
| 17 years | 152.3 | 158.6 | 162.9 | 167.3 | 173.6 | 5 ft 4.1 in |
| 18 years | 152.5 | 158.8 | 163.1 | 167.5 | 173.8 | 5 ft 4.2 in |
| 19 years | 152.6 | 158.9 | 163.3 | 167.6 | 173.9 | 5 ft 4.3 in |
Boys: height by age (CDC)
| Age | 5th | 25th | 50th (median) | 75th | 95th | Median in feet & in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 years | 80.7 | 84.1 | 86.5 | 88.8 | 92.2 | 2 ft 10 in |
| 3 years | 89.2 | 92.7 | 95.3 | 97.9 | 101.9 | 3 ft 1.5 in |
| 4 years | 95.6 | 99.7 | 102.5 | 105.4 | 109.5 | 3 ft 4.4 in |
| 5 years | 101.5 | 106 | 109.2 | 112.3 | 116.8 | 3 ft 7 in |
| 6 years | 107.3 | 112.2 | 115.7 | 119.1 | 123.9 | 3 ft 9.5 in |
| 7 years | 113.2 | 118.4 | 122 | 125.7 | 131 | 4 ft 0 in |
| 8 years | 118.8 | 124.3 | 128.1 | 132.1 | 137.8 | 4 ft 2.4 in |
| 9 years | 123.8 | 129.6 | 133.7 | 137.9 | 144.1 | 4 ft 4.7 in |
| 10 years | 128.2 | 134.4 | 138.8 | 143.3 | 149.9 | 4 ft 6.7 in |
| 11 years | 132.4 | 139 | 143.7 | 148.5 | 155.5 | 4 ft 8.6 in |
| 12 years | 137.3 | 144.3 | 149.3 | 154.4 | 161.9 | 4 ft 10.8 in |
| 13 years | 143.6 | 151.1 | 156.4 | 161.7 | 169.5 | 5 ft 1.6 in |
| 14 years | 150.5 | 158.7 | 164.1 | 169.5 | 177 | 5 ft 4.6 in |
| 15 years | 156.7 | 164.8 | 170.1 | 175.3 | 182.4 | 5 ft 7 in |
| 16 years | 160.8 | 168.5 | 173.6 | 178.6 | 185.5 | 5 ft 8.4 in |
| 17 years | 163.1 | 170.4 | 175.3 | 180.2 | 187 | 5 ft 9 in |
| 18 years | 164.2 | 171.3 | 176.2 | 181 | 187.8 | 5 ft 9.4 in |
| 19 years | 164.8 | 171.8 | 176.6 | 181.4 | 188.3 | 5 ft 9.5 in |
Source: CDC growth charts: stature-for-age data files (National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Ages are birthdays; values from the CDC stature-for-age table rows at each age.
Adult height (US, 2015–2018)
For adults aged 20 and over, the national survey NHANES reports these heights in centimetres:
| Adults 20 and over | Mean | 5th | 10th | 15th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 85th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 161.3 cm | 149.8 | 152.5 | 153.9 | 156.4 | 161.3 | 166 | 168.4 | 170.2 | 172.5 |
| Men | 175.3 cm | 162.8 | 165.8 | 167.6 | 170.1 | 175.4 | 180.2 | 182.9 | 184.7 | 187.4 |
Source: Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Gu Q, Afful J, Ogden CL. Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 2015–2018. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Stat 3(46). 2021 (Tables 9 and 11). The survey measured 5,510 women and 5,092 men.
Look up a specific height
Each height page converts the figure to feet and inches and shows where it falls for girls and boys at each age and for adults:
To convert any height, use the height converter or print the height conversion chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average height for a 10-year-old girl?
The CDC median (50th percentile) height for a US girl aged 10 is 138.2 cm (4 ft 6.4 in). Half of 10-year-old girls in the reference group are taller and half are shorter.
What is the average height for a 12-year-old girl?
The CDC median height for a US girl aged 12 is 151.5 cm (4 ft 11.6 in).
What is the average height for a 10-year-old boy?
The CDC median height for a US boy aged 10 is 138.8 cm (4 ft 6.7 in).
What is the average height for a 14-year-old boy?
The CDC median height for a US boy aged 14 is 164.1 cm (5 ft 4.6 in).
What is the average adult height?
In the US survey NHANES 2015-2018, the mean height of adults aged 20 and over was 161.3 cm for women and 175.3 cm for men.
Does a low percentile mean something is wrong?
No. A percentile only says how a height compares with a reference group, and many healthy children are on low or high percentiles. If you are worried about a child's growth, speak to a GP or health visitor.