Height conversion chart
| Feet/Inches | Inches | cm | Meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'0" | 48 | 121.9 | 1.22 |
| 4'2" | 50 | 127 | 1.27 |
| 4'4" | 52 | 132.1 | 1.32 |
| 4'6" | 54 | 137.2 | 1.37 |
| 4'8" | 56 | 142.2 | 1.42 |
| 4'10" | 58 | 147.3 | 1.47 |
| 5'0" | 60 | 152.4 | 1.52 |
| 5'2" | 62 | 157.5 | 1.57 |
| 5'4" | 64 | 162.6 | 1.63 |
| 5'6" | 66 | 167.6 | 1.68 |
| 5'8" | 68 | 172.7 | 1.73 |
| 5'10" | 70 | 177.8 | 1.78 |
| 6'0" | 72 | 182.9 | 1.83 |
| 6'2" | 74 | 188 | 1.88 |
| 6'4" | 76 | 193 | 1.93 |
| 6'6" | 78 | 198.1 | 1.98 |
| 6'8" | 80 | 203.2 | 2.03 |
| 6'10" | 82 | 208.3 | 2.08 |
| 7'0" | 84 | 213.4 | 2.13 |
How to measure your height accurately
DMV forms, passport applications, and driver's licenses ask for height in feet and inches, but most people guess. A self-reported number is usually off by half an inch in either direction. If you want a measurement you can trust on a medical form or a fitness app, take two minutes and do it the same way a doctor's office does it.
- Take off your shoes and stand on a hard floor, not carpet. Carpet compresses under your weight and adds up to a quarter inch of measurement noise.
- Stand against a flat wall with your heels, glutes, shoulder blades, and the back of your head touching the wall. Look straight ahead, not up or down. Pulling your chin up adds artificial height.
- Use a flat object like a hardcover book or a small ruler on top of your head. Keep it parallel to the floor and slide it down until it rests on your crown.
- Mark the wall at the bottom edge of the book, step away, and measure from the floor to the mark with a tape measure.
- Measure in the morning. Spinal disc compression makes you shorter by the end of the day, so morning measurements are the most accurate baseline.
If your measurement falls between two values on this calculator, round to the nearest quarter inch for personal use and to the nearest half inch for government forms. Driver's licenses round to the nearest inch in most U.S. states.
Average height by country
| Country | Men (cm) | Women (cm) |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 183.8 | 170.4 |
| Montenegro | 183.2 | 169.4 |
| Denmark | 181.4 | 167.2 |
| Norway | 180.5 | 167 |
| Germany | 180.3 | 166.2 |
| Australia | 179.2 | 165.9 |
| Canada | 178.1 | 165 |
| United States | 175.3 | 162.6 |
| United Kingdom | 177.5 | 163.6 |
| Japan | 171.2 | 158.8 |
Why your height changes during the day
You are not the same height at 7 AM as you are at 10 PM. Most adults lose between half an inch and three quarters of an inch over the course of a typical day. The reason is the 23 intervertebral discs in your spine. Each disc is a small water-filled cushion that sits between two vertebrae, and gravity slowly squeezes water out of them whenever you are upright.
When you lie down at night, the load disappears and water diffuses back into the discs. By morning they have rehydrated and you are back to your full height. Astronauts in microgravity actually grow about two inches taller after a few weeks because the spine has no load on it at all, then they return to normal once they're back on Earth.
A few practical implications:
- Doctor's appointments later in the day will record you as slightly shorter than a morning visit. The difference is real, not measurement error.
- Air force and police height limits are usually measured in the morning at recruitment exams, which is why some applicants who measure just over a cutoff at home pass the official check.
- Heavy lifting compresses you faster. A long day moving boxes or backpacking can shrink you closer to a full inch before bed.
After about age 30, total height starts to drop permanently at roughly a tenth of an inch per year for most adults, accelerating after age 70. This is unrelated to daily disc compression and is caused by gradual loss of bone density, posture changes, and disc thinning that doesn't fully recover overnight.
What actually determines adult height
Genetics is the headline answer, but the full picture is more interesting. Twin studies from Finland and the UK consistently put the heritability of adult height at around 80 percent, meaning roughly four fifths of the variation in height between adults in a well-fed population traces back to their genes. The remaining fifth depends on the environment you grow up in.
| Factor | How much it matters |
|---|---|
| Genetics | ~80% of variation. No single "tall gene", more than 700 genetic variants contribute. |
| Childhood nutrition | Major impact in the first 5 years. Protein, calcium, vitamin D, zinc all matter. |
| Sleep during puberty | Growth hormone peaks during deep sleep. Chronic 5-hour sleep can shave inches. |
| Childhood illness | Severe or repeated illness before age 5 stunts growth, sometimes permanently. |
| Hormone disorders | Growth hormone deficiency, thyroid disorders, and early puberty all alter final height. |
The simplest prediction model is the mid-parental height formula. For a boy: average your two parents' heights in inches, then add 2.5 inches. For a girl: average them and subtract 2.5 inches. Most adults land within 4 inches of this estimate. It works because both parents contribute roughly equal amounts of height-related DNA, and the 2.5 inch adjustment accounts for the average height difference between men and women.
Dutch men are now the tallest population on record (average 6 feet 0 inches) and they used to be among the shortest in Europe two centuries ago. The change is too fast to be genetic. It's nutrition, healthcare access, and reduced childhood disease. The U.S., once the tallest country in the 1950s, has fallen behind because childhood nutrition stalled while northern Europe kept improving.
Weight in stones: stone to pounds conversion
In the UK and Ireland, weight is often expressed in stones. One stone equals 14 pounds (6.35 kg). Here's a quick reference:
| Stones | Pounds (lbs) | Kilograms (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 stone | 84 lbs | 38.1 kg |
| 7 stone | 98 lbs | 44.5 kg |
| 8 stone | 112 lbs | 50.8 kg |
| 9 stone | 126 lbs | 57.2 kg |
| 10 stone | 140 lbs | 63.5 kg |
| 11 stone | 154 lbs | 69.9 kg |
| 12 stone | 168 lbs | 76.2 kg |
| 14 stone | 196 lbs | 88.9 kg |
For example, 6 stone equals 84 lbs or 38.1 kg. To convert stones to pounds, multiply by 14. To convert stones to kg, multiply by 6.35. The stone is still commonly used for body weight in the UK, while the US uses pounds and most other countries use kilograms.
Frequently asked questions
How do you convert feet and inches to centimeters?
Convert the total height to inches (feet × 12 + inches), then multiply by 2.54. For example, 5'8" = 68 inches × 2.54 = 172.72 cm. To go from cm to feet: divide by 2.54 to get inches, then divide by 12 for feet and use the remainder for inches.
What is the average height for men and women?
In the United States, the average height is 5'9" (175.3 cm) for adult men and 5'4" (162.6 cm) for adult women. Globally, the tallest populations are in Northern Europe (Netherlands averages 6'0" for men), while shorter averages are found in parts of Southeast Asia and Central America.
How do you measure height accurately?
Stand barefoot on a flat surface against a wall. Keep heels, buttocks, shoulder blades, and the back of your head touching the wall. Look straight ahead (the Frankfurt plane, the bottom of the eye socket level with the ear canal). Have someone place a flat object on your head touching the wall, and mark the spot. Measure from floor to mark.
When do you stop growing taller?
Most people stop growing in height by age 16–18 (girls typically finish by 14–16, boys by 16–18). Growth plates (epiphyseal plates) in the long bones close once puberty is complete. Some people may gain a small amount of height into their early 20s, but it's usually less than an inch.
What factors affect height?
Genetics account for about 60–80% of height variation. Nutrition (especially protein, calcium, and vitamin D during childhood) is the next biggest factor. Other factors include hormonal health, sleep quality, physical activity, and chronic illness during growth years. Socioeconomic status indirectly affects height through nutrition access.
How accurate are height predictors for children?
The mid-parental height method (average of parents' heights ± adjustment) predicts adult height within about 2 inches (5 cm) for most children. More accurate methods like the Khamis-Roche model use current height, weight, and parental heights. Bone age X-rays provide the most precise prediction but require medical imaging.
What is the average height by age for children?
Average heights for US children: Age 5: 42–43 inches (107–109 cm). Age 8: 50–51 inches (127–130 cm). Age 10: 54–55 inches (137–140 cm). Age 12: 58–60 inches (147–152 cm). Age 14: 63–66 inches (160–168 cm). Age 16: 64–69 inches (163–175 cm). Girls tend to hit growth spurts earlier (ages 10–14) while boys peak later (ages 12–16).
Which countries have the tallest and shortest people?
Tallest: The Netherlands leads with men averaging 6'0" (183.8 cm) and women 5'7" (170.4 cm). Montenegro, Denmark, and Norway follow. Shortest: Timor-Leste (men 5'3" / 160 cm), Laos, and Guatemala have some of the shortest average heights. The global trend is toward increasing height due to improved nutrition.
Does height affect BMI calculation?
Yes, BMI uses height squared in its formula (weight ÷ height²), so height significantly affects the result. Taller people tend to have higher BMI values even at similar body fat percentages, which is one of BMI's known limitations. Use our BMI calculator for your specific height-weight combination.
What is the formula to convert cm to feet and inches?
Divide centimeters by 2.54 to get total inches. Then divide by 12, the quotient is feet, the remainder is inches. For example: 175 cm ÷ 2.54 = 68.9 inches. 68.9 ÷ 12 = 5 feet with 8.9 inches remaining. So 175 cm ≈ 5'9".