The average height for men in the US is 68.9 inches, just under 5 feet 9 inches (175.1 cm), based on the CDC's most recent national measurements of men age 20 and older. That figure comes from NHANES, a survey in which trained staff measure people with a stadiometer instead of asking them to report their own height, which makes it more reliable than self-reported figures. Over the past century, male height in the U.S. rose with better nutrition, healthcare, and living conditions. In the early 1960s, the average man stood just over 5 feet 8 inches; the gains continued into the early 2000s and have largely stalled since. Height also varies by age group and by race and ethnicity, and those differences are worth a closer look.
Key Takeaways
- The average U.S. man age 20 and older is 68.9 inches (5'8.9", or 175.1 cm), from CDC measurements taken in 2021–2023.
- The median is 69.0 inches, so half of American men are 5'9" or taller and half are shorter.
- A 6-foot man is taller than roughly 85% of U.S. men.
- Men in their 20s to 40s average about 5'9.4"; men 80 and older average about 5'7.1".
- Average height rose about an inch between the early 1960s and 2002, then leveled off.
- Genes explain most of the differences in height between individuals, while childhood nutrition and health shape how close each person gets to that range.
What Is the Average Height for Men in the US?
In the CDC's August 2021 to August 2023 survey, measured men age 20 and older averaged 68.9 inches (175.1 cm), and the median was 69.0 inches [1]. In everyday terms, the average American man is 5 feet 9 inches tall, give or take a tenth of an inch. The previous survey cycle, 2015–2018, put the average at 69.0 inches [2], so the newest number isn't a sign of anyone shrinking. A difference of a tenth of an inch is normal survey variation.
One caveat applies to the newest data. NHANES restarted after a pandemic pause with a new sample design, and only about a quarter of selected participants completed the exam, so the 2021–2023 estimates rest on a smaller sample of 2,690 men.
| Percentile | Height | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | 5'3.9" (162.2 cm) | Shorter than 95% of men |
| 10th | 5'5.0" (165.2 cm) | Shorter than 90% of men |
| 25th | 5'6.9" (170.0 cm) | Shorter than 75% of men |
| 50th (median) | 5'9.0" (175.2 cm) | Right in the middle |
| 75th | 5'10.9" (180.1 cm) | Taller than 75% of men |
| 90th | 6'0.7" (184.8 cm) | Taller than 90% of men |
| 95th | 6'1.7" (187.2 cm) | Taller than 95% of men |
Source: CDC/NCHS Anthropometric Reference Data, August 2021–August 2023, measured standing height.
The middle half of American men fall between about 5'7" and 5'11". If you want to compare yourself fairly, measure the same way the survey does: barefoot, back against a wall, heels together. Our guide on how to measure height properly walks through it.
Average Height by Age Group
Younger American men are a little taller on average than older men. Men in their 20s, 30s, and 40s average about 69.3 to 69.4 inches, while men 80 and older average 67.1 inches [1].
Two things explain that pattern, and a one-time survey can't fully separate them. Many people lose some height in later life as spinal discs thin and posture changes. Older men were also born decades earlier, when childhood nutrition and healthcare were different. Most men reach their adult height by the late teens; our article on when boys stop growing explains the timing.
Height by Race and Ethnicity
The newest CDC report doesn't break height down by race and ethnicity, so the most recent group figures come from the 2015–2018 survey [2]:
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Non-Hispanic white men: 69.5 inches (5'9.5", 176.7 cm)
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Non-Hispanic Black men: 69.3 inches (5'9.3", 176.0 cm)
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Non-Hispanic Asian men: 67.1 inches (5'7.1", 170.5 cm)
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Hispanic men: 67.1 inches (5'7.1", 170.4 cm)
White and Black men average within about a quarter inch of each other, near the national figure, while Asian and Hispanic men average about two inches shorter. These are group averages, and the range within every group is far wider than the gaps between them.
Has the Average Height of American Men Changed?
Yes, but most of the change happened before 2000. Between the early 1960s and 2002, the average height of men ages 20 to 74 rose from just over 5'8" to about 5'9", a gain of roughly an inch [3]. After that, the trend flattened. A later CDC analysis found that mean adult height didn't change in many demographic groups between 1999 and 2016 [2].
Some research suggests it may have slipped slightly for younger generations. A 2025 analysis of NHANES data by economic historian John Komlos found that Americans born from around the early 1980s onward are a bit shorter than earlier cohorts, with declines ranging from about 0.7 cm among white women to about 2 cm among Hispanic men [4]. Komlos links the trend to gaps in U.S. healthcare and nutrition compared with other wealthy countries. It's one study, and the changes are small, but it fits the broader picture that American height gains stalled decades ago.
How U.S. Men Compare Worldwide
American men are tall by global standards but not at the top. In a century-long analysis of 200 countries, the tallest men were those born in the Netherlands in the last quarter of the 20th century, who averaged more than 182.5 cm, or about 6 feet [5]. That's roughly three inches taller than the U.S. average, though the two figures come from different methods: the global study estimates height for young adults by birth year, while the CDC number covers all men 20 and older. Many northern and central European countries also rank ahead of the U.S., while American men are taller on average than men in much of South and Southeast Asia. For country-by-country figures, see our guide to average height for men worldwide.
What Shapes Men's Height?
Genetics is the biggest factor. Scientists estimate that about 80% of the differences in height between people come from inherited DNA [6]. The rest reflects environment, especially during childhood and the teen years: enough calories and protein, good overall nutrition, healthcare that treats illness early, and enough sleep.
Those environmental factors are why whole populations can grow taller or stall across generations even when their genes haven't changed much. Higher household income often goes along with better diet quality and steadier access to healthcare, both of which support growth. For an individual child, though, genes set the range, and healthy habits help a child reach the top of it rather than add inches beyond it.
Why Average Height Data Matters
National height data isn't just trivia. NCHS notes that its body measurements are used in public health research, health and safety policy, clinical practice, and product development, and federal agencies have drawn on NHANES data for standards such as average passenger weights on aircraft [1]. Height is also part of the body mass index (BMI) calculation used to track obesity. Designers of clothing, furniture, and workplace equipment rely on population measurements too, which is why reliable, measured data matters more than self-reported height.
Final Thoughts
At just under 5'9", the average height for men in the US sits in the upper middle of the world's height range, a few inches short of the Dutch and well above many other populations. The more interesting story is the trend: about an inch gained between the 1960s and 2002, then a long plateau, and possibly a small dip in recent generations. Height is never just about genetics. It also reflects how well children are fed and cared for while they're still growing. If you're curious where a child's adult height is likely to land, our height predictor calculator gives an estimate based on both parents' heights, and a pediatrician can track growth over time.
References
1. Fryar CD, et al. (2025). Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023. Vital Health Stat 3. cdc.gov
2. Fryar CD, et al. (2021). Anthropometric reference data for children and adults: United States, 2015–2018. Vital Health Stat 3. cdc.gov
3. National Center for Health Statistics (2004). Americans slightly taller, much heavier than four decades ago. cdc.gov
4. Komlos J (2025). The decline in the physical stature of the U.S. population parallels the diminution in the rate of increase in life expectancy. SSM Popul Health. doi.org
5. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2016). A century of trends in adult human height. eLife. doi.org
6. MedlinePlus Genetics. Is height determined by genetics? medlineplus.gov
