Average Height for Women: What’s Tall?

Medically reviewed by Gurdeep S. Sareen, PharmD

The average heights of women around the world vary widely, based on factors like ethnicity, national origin, and environment. The average height of a woman in the United States is approximately 5 feet 3.5 inches tall.

In this article, we’ll provide information about the average height of women in the U.S. and worldwide. We will also go over the factors that can influence a woman’s growth, the average height of American girls, and common misconceptions about tall women.

Average Height of Women in America vs. Worldwide

In the United States, the average height of female adults over the age of 20 is about 5 feet 3.5 inches. This estimate is based on population data gathered through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2015 and 2018, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2021.

Average heights in the U.S. vary by race and ethnicity. According to the same CDC report, non-Hispanic Black women are typically around 5 feet 4 inches tall on average, while an “average” non-Hispanic White woman is slightly over 5 feet 3 inches tall. The average heights of Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian women in the U.S. are 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 1 inch, respectively.

Worldwide, the average height for women ranges from approximately 4 feet 11 inches tall in Guatemala to about 5 feet 7 inches tall in the Netherlands. You can browse the average heights in various regions in the chart below:

What Determines a Woman’s Height?

Many different factors can influence a woman’s height, including:

• Genetics: The most important determining factor in your height is genetics. In fact, research indicates that an estimated 80% of your height is determined by the genes you inherit from your parents.

• Environmental factors: Many different factors in your environment, particularly as a child, influence how tall you will become. For example, your geographic location determines in part what foods you will eat, what pollution (or lack thereof) you are exposed to, and your access to clean water and adequate healthcare. Social and cultural factors, such as income and education level, also play a role. Finally, aspects of your home life and family environment can affect your height. Abuse, trauma, and neglect have been found to stunt childhood growth in some cases.

• Medical conditions: Many different medical conditions can affect height. For example, people with Marfan syndrome are typically much taller than average, while achondroplasia is a type of dwarfism caused by rare genetic variations.

• Nutrition: Adequate nutrition plays an important role in childhood growth. For example, getting enough protein and calcium during childhood plays a significant role in adult height.

• Hormone levels: Your body’s natural levels of hormones such as human growth hormone (HGH) can have a significant effect on your rate of growth during childhood.

• Sleep: Sleep quality and duration can affect many different aspects of your health. Getting high-quality, regular sleep is crucial in boosting a child’s development and growth.
  

Relationship Between Height and Weight

Typically, weight increases with height. Some people use body mass index (BMI), or a measure of your body fat percentage based on your height and weight, to screen for potential health-related risk factors. However, body composition can vary widely, and BMI isn’t always a reliable indicator of your health status.

Average Height of American Girls

According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the average heights of American girls by age are as follows:

• 2 years old: 2 feet 9 inches

• 3 years old: 3 feet 2 inches

• 4 years old: 3 feet 5 inches

• 5 years old: 3 feet 8 inches

• 6 years old: 3 feet 11 inches

• 7 years old: 4 feet 1 inch

• 8 years old: 4 feet 3 inches

• 9 years old: 4 feet 6 inches

• 10 years old: 4 feet 8 inches

• 11 years old: 4 feet 11 inches

• 12 years old: 5 feet 1 inch

• 13 years old: 5 feet 2 inches

From ages 14 to 19 (i.e., after puberty), the average height of girls in the U.S. is around the same as that of American women—between 5 feet 3 inches and 5 feet 4 inches.

Misconceptions About Female Tallness

There are several popular misconceptions about tall women. For example, some people assume that taller-than-average girls and women struggle with body image. However, studies suggest that most tall women in the U.S. are satisfied with their height.

Tall women are also sometimes perceived as more aggressive, dominant, and higher status than shorter women. However, there is a considerably weaker connection between height and these social and cultural perceptions for women than there is for men. Research indicates, for example, that female height doesn’t typically play a significant role in gender roles within romantic relationships.

Summary

Based on the most recent available data, the average height of an American woman is slightly less than 5 feet 4 inches tall. The average heights of women worldwide range from just under 5 feet tall to around 5 feet 7 inches.

Female height (and height in general) is primarily influenced by genetics. Other factors that may play a role include nutrition, home environment, geographic location, medical conditions, hormones, and sleep quality.

Read the original article on Verywell Health.