Height percentile calculator
See how a height compares with others of the same age and sex, using published growth reference data.
This reference covers ages 5-19; using the nearest available data point for age 30.
Percentile
19th
At 170 cm and age 30, you are taller than approximately 19% of the WHO reference population for your sex.
z-score -0.89
Worked example
- Child Girl, 10 y, 150 cm
- WHO median 139.2 cm
- Result ≈ 96th percentile
Method and sources
WHO reference (ages 5-19). de Onis M, Onyango AW, Borghi E, Siyam A, Nishida C, Siekmann J. "Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents." Bull World Health Organ. 2007;85:660-7, height-for-age, via WHO's published simplified field tables. This build uses yearly reference points (WHO publishes monthly), and values between whole years are interpolated.
CDC reference (ages 2-20, plus an adult 20+ point). Fryar CD, Gu Q, Ogden CL, Flegal KM. "Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, 2011-2014." National Center for Health Statistics, Vital Health Stat 3(39), 2016. This is a different table from the commonly cited 2000 CDC growth charts, whose original LMS parameters were not available here, so percentiles are derived from this more recent NHANES table assuming a symmetric spread around the median. Treat CDC results as a close approximation rather than an exact match to the official 2000 chart.
The adult point in both references is a single aggregate for everyone 20 and over, not broken out by decade.
Frequently asked questions
Is 5'8" tall for a man?
In the US (CDC/NHANES reference, adult), 5'8" (172.7cm) is a little below the average adult male height and lands around the 37th percentile — shorter than about 6 in 10 men, taller than the rest. It reads as "slightly below average" rather than notably tall or short.
What does "percentile" mean for height?
A height percentile shows what share of a reference population is shorter than you. Being in the 75th percentile for your age and sex means you're taller than about 75% of that reference group, and shorter than about 25%.
Should I use the WHO or CDC reference?
They're built from different reference populations. WHO 2007 (ages 5-19) is designed as an international reference; CDC is built from a US population sample. Use whichever matches the comparison you actually want to make — this tool defaults to CDC in the US and WHO elsewhere, but you can switch either way.
Why does this tool ask for age if I'm an adult?
Height percentile is always age- and sex-specific, even for adults, because population height distributions shift slightly across adult age bands (partly due to generational height trends and natural changes with ageing). This calculator uses a single adult (20+) reference point rather than breaking adults out by decade.
Is this medical advice?
No — this is a statistical estimate against a general population reference, not a clinical growth assessment. If you have concerns about a child's growth specifically, a doctor or health visitor uses the same underlying method but with your child's full growth history, which this tool doesn't have.
What percentage of men are 6 foot or taller?
Using the CDC/NHANES adult reference, 6'0" (182.9cm) sits at roughly the 86th percentile for US men — meaning around 14% of adult men are that tall or taller. The exact figure depends on which reference population you compare against.
More tools
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- cm to feet chart Every height from 140 to 210 cm in feet and inches.
- Height difference Exact gap and percentage between two heights.
- Country average Where you rank against the world.
- You vs the world A map of how your height compares, country by country.
- Child height predictor A mid-parental estimate for your child.
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