The average height for U.S. males is around 69 inches (5 feet 9 inches), but this average varies between countries. Socioeconomic, nutritional, and biological factors may affect a person’s height.
Anthropometry is the study of the human body’s composition, which includes measurements of height, weight, and shape. This data may help indicate your general health status, nutrition and dietary adequacy, and growth.
Height and other anthropometric data are published in national growth charts and have several uses across disciplines. That said, population samples may not always accurately represent all races and ethnicities.
These measurements could be used to:
Keep reading to learn more about the average male heights around the world.
From 2015 to 2018, the average height for males in the United States ages 20 years and over was
| Age (years) | Height (inches) |
|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | 69.2 |
| 30 to 39 | 69.4 |
| 40 to 49 | 69.4 |
| 50 to 59 | 69.0 |
| 60 to 69 | 68.7 |
| 70 to 79 | 68.1 |
| 80 and over | 67.1 |
There were slight changes in the average adult male height from 2000 to 2015. However, these weren’t as significant as the weight, waist circumference, and BMI
The range of average male heights across the world is quite broad.
The table below shows the average male heights in 2019 for 15 countries.
| Country | Average height (inches) |
|---|---|
| The Netherlands | 72.4 |
| Germany | 70.98 |
| Australia | 70.4 |
| Canada | 70.35 |
| United Kingdom | 70.16 |
| Jamaica | 69.69 |
| Brazil | 69.17 |
| Iran | 69.13 |
| China | 69.17 |
| Japan | 69.76 |
| Mexico | 67.04 |
| Nigeria | 67.56 |
| Peru | 65.67 |
| India | 65.55 |
| Philippines | 65.04 |
This data was compiled by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration, a global group of researchers and health scientists that provide data for noncommunicable diseases in more than 200 countries.
Data from 1896 to 1996 suggests the global average height for males increased from 63.78 to 67.32 inches.
During this century, Iranian males may have seen the biggest change in height, gaining nearly 6.5 inches.
From shortest to tallest
The shortest male was Chandra Bahadur Dangi from Rhimkholi, Nepal. In 2012, he was 21.5 inches tall.
The tallest male was Robert Pershing Wadlow from Alton, Illinois. He stood at 107.1 inches tall.
Several biological, nutritional, and socioeconomic factors may affect your height.
Genetics
It’s estimated that 80% of your height could be determined by genetics. If your family is tall, chances are, you might be tall, too.
The other 20% may be due to nutritional and environmental factors.
Nutrition
Malnutrition or limited access to nutrient-dense whole foods at a young age may impact height.
The
Not getting enough of certain minerals
Chronic malnutrition may be associated with less favorable socioeconomic conditions, illness and disease, or certain maternal health conditions.
Environment
Environmental factors may affect your height, including:
- a pregnant person’s nutrition and lifestyle habits during pregnancy, such as smoking
- sleep quality as a child and teen
- where you live, such as in an urban area
- your posture
- a child’s exposure to second-hand smoke
Medical conditions
Gigantism refers to an extremely tall stature. It may be
- acromegaly
- Carney complex
- McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS)
- multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1)
In contrast, dwarfism refers to an extremely short stature. Conditions that may lead to short stature
You’ll notice the language used to share stats and other data points is pretty binary, fluctuating between the use of “male” and “female” or “men” and “women.” While we typically avoid language like this, specificity is key when reporting on research participants and clinical findings.
If you’re looking at global statistics, the answer is yes. The average height for a man worldwide is 5 feet 7.5 inches.
The average height for a man in the United States is 5 feet 9 inches.
Data from 2015 to 2018 reports that the average male height in the United States ages 20 years and over was 69 inches (5 feet 7 inches) tall.
The global average height in 2014 for males born in 1996 was 67.45 inches.
In 2019, the country with the shortest average male height was Timor-Leste, at 63.01 inches. The tallest average male height was 72.36 inches in the Netherlands.
No. 5’8″ is actually slightly taller than the global average for men.
While there may be trends and overall averages regarding height worldwide, it’s important to remember that humans come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Countless factors may affect your height, including age, genetics, socioeconomic status, and nutrition. Averages may help statisticians observe health and growth trends, but they should not serve as a measure of self-worth.