Average Height by State 2026
Montana
HawaiiMen's Avg Height (in)
States Ranked by Average Height
State | Men's Avg Height 2017 (in)↓ | Men's Avg Height 2017 (ft) | Men's Avg Height 2017 (ft'in") | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Montana | 70.7 | 5.889 | 5'10.7" |
 | South Dakota | 70.7 | 5.888 | 5'10.5" |
 | Utah | 70.6 | 5.886 | 5'10.4" |
 | Nebraska | 70.6 | 5.884 | 5'10.6" |
 | Iowa | 70.6 | 5.883 | 5'10.6" |
 | Kansas | 70.6 | 5.881 | 5'10.6" |
 | Alabama | 70.5 | 5.878 | 5'10.5" |
 | Idaho | 70.5 | 5.877 | 5'10.5" |
 | Wyoming | 70.5 | 5.872 | 5'10.4" |
 | Minnesota | 70.5 | 5.871 | 5'10.4" |
 | North Dakota | 70.5 | 5.871 | 5'10.4" |
 | Mississippi | 70.4 | 5.867 | 5'10.4" |
 | Kentucky | 70.4 | 5.866 | 5'10.4" |
 | Tennessee | 70.4 | 5.866 | 5'10.4" |
 | Missouri | 70.4 | 5.865 | 5'10.4" |
 | Nevada | 70.4 | 5.864 | 5'10.3" |
 | Oklahoma | 70.4 | 5.864 | 5'10.3" |
 | Washington | 70.4 | 5.863 | 5'10.3" |
 | Colorado | 70.3 | 5.861 | 5'10.3" |
 | Oregon | 70.3 | 5.860 | 5'10.3" |
 | Wisconsin | 70.3 | 5.860 | 5'10.3" |
 | South Carolina | 70.3 | 5.859 | 5'10.3" |
 | Illinois | 70.3 | 5.858 | 5'10.3" |
 | West Virginia | 70.3 | 5.858 | 5'10.3" |
 | Michigan | 70.3 | 5.856 | 5'10.3" |
 | Indiana | 70.3 | 5.855 | 5'10.3" |
 | Ohio | 70.3 | 5.855 | 5'10.3" |
 | Virginia | 70.2 | 5.853 | 5'10.2" |
 | Georgia | 70.2 | 5.852 | 5'10.2" |
 | Pennsylvania | 70.2 | 5.851 | 5'10.2" |
 | District of Columbia | 70.2 | 5.850 | 5'10.2" |
 | Arkansas | 70.2 | 5.848 | 5'10.2" |
 | North Carolina | 70.2 | 5.847 | 5'10.2" |
 | Maryland | 70.2 | 5.846 | 5'10.1" |
 | Arizona | 70.1 | 5.842 | 5'10.1" |
 | Louisiana | 70.1 | 5.841 | 5'10.1" |
 | Maine | 70.0 | 5.837 | 5'10.0" |
 | Alaska | 70.0 | 5.836 | 5'10.0" |
 | Vermont | 70.0 | 5.836 | 5'10.0" |
 | New Hampshire | 70.0 | 5.833 | 5'10.0" |
 | Delaware | 70.0 | 5.832 | 5'10.0" |
 | Florida | 70.0 | 5.832 | 5'10.0" |
 | Massachusetts | 69.9 | 5.829 | 5'10.0" |
 | Connecticut | 69.8 | 5.814 | 5'9.8" |
 | Texas | 69.8 | 5.814 | 5'9.8" |
 | New Jersey | 69.8 | 5.813 | 5'9.8" |
 | New York | 69.7 | 5.811 | 5'9.9" |
 | Rhode Island | 69.7 | 5.810 | 5'9.7" |
 | New Mexico | 69.7 | 5.808 | 5'9.8" |
 | California | 69.6 | 5.799 | 5'9.6" |
 | Hawaii | 69.0 | 5.748 | 5'9.0" |
- Data comes from the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 2017 report. The CDC surveyed 450,000 people, asking them an array of questions including height, weight, eating habits, and physical activity level to track state level trends.
- Note that height was a self-reported category rather than clinically measured data. Given the tendency for resopndents to overestimate their height, the average totals shown may vary from actual real-world average heights.
Key Findings
Average Height for Men in America
The average height for men in America is approximately 5 feet 9 inches (175.3 cm), though average male height varies by state.
The tallest and shortest states for men differ from those for women.
Average Height for Women in America
The average height for women in America is approximately 5 feet 4 inches (162.6 cm).
The tallest women tend to be clustered in the northern plains states.
Tallest States in the US
Alabama has the tallest average height at 70.5 inches. The three tallest states are Alabama (70.5), Alaska (70.0), and Arizona (70.1).
States with the tallest average heights tend to have larger populations of Northern European and Scandinavian descent, where genetic factors contribute to taller stature.
Shortest States in the US
Wyoming has the shortest average height at 70.5 inches. The three shortest states are West Virginia (70.3), Wisconsin (70.3), and Wyoming (70.5).
States with shorter average heights tend to have more ethnically diverse populations, as average height varies across racial and ethnic groups worldwide.
States Ranked by Average Height
State Comparison
Average height varies across states within a relatively narrow range, driven primarily by demographic composition, genetics, and childhood nutrition. Genetics account for an estimated 60-80% of a person's height, with nutrition and physical activity during childhood influencing the remainder.
