Short answer: in the United States, a man who is 161 cm counts as very short, and a woman as average height.
Very short
Men · 2% are shorter
Average height
Women · 46% are shorter
161 cm (5′3″)
63.4 in
2% of adult men in the United States are shorter than this; 1 in 1 men is this tall or taller. The average man is 175.4 cm (5′9″).
46% of adult women in the United States are shorter than this; 1 in 1.9 women is this tall or taller. The average woman is 161.6 cm (5′4″).
| Group | Average | Difference | Shorter in country | Shorter worldwide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 175.4 cm (5′9″) | −14.4 cm | 2% | 18% |
| Women | 161.6 cm (5′4″) | −0.6 cm | 46% | 71% |
Calculate your rank as a man → Calculate your rank as a woman →
Values are cohort-weighted averages for adults aged 18+, derived from NCD-RisC 2020 and UN population estimates; they do not reflect regional differences within a country. Details: methodology and sources.
What share of adults of the same sex is shorter than this?
| Men | Women | |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | 0.3% | 16% |
| Brazil | 6% | 61% |
| Nigeria | 9% | 70% |
| China | 14% | 67% |
| Pakistan | 21% | 85% |
| India | 34% | 89% |
| Indonesia | 38% | 92% |
| Timor-Leste | 63% | 93% |
156 cm 157 cm 158 cm 159 cm 160 cm 162 cm 163 cm 164 cm 165 cm 166 cm 5′3″
Average height in the United States →