Short answer: in Kenya, a man counts as tall from 175.6 cm (5′9″) (tallest 20%) and very tall from 182.9 cm (6′0″) (tallest 3%). For women the thresholds are 164.5 cm (5′5″) and 171.3 cm (5′7″). Averages: men 169.7 cm (5′7″), women 159 cm (5′3″).
≥ 175.6 cm
Tall for a man (tallest 20%)
≥ 164.5 cm
Tall for a woman (tallest 20%)
| Men | Women | Percentile band | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very short | < 156.4 cm (5′2″) | < 146.6 cm (4′10″) | P0–P3 |
| Short | 156.4–163.7 cm (5′4″) | 146.6–153.4 cm (5′0″) | P3–P20 |
| Slightly below average | 163.7–167.9 cm (5′6″) | 153.4–157.3 cm (5′2″) | P20–P40 |
| Average height | 167.9–171.5 cm (5′8″) | 157.3–160.6 cm (5′3″) | P40–P60 |
| Slightly above average | 171.5–175.6 cm (5′9″) | 160.6–164.5 cm (5′5″) | P60–P80 |
| Tall | 175.6–182.9 cm (6′0″) | 164.5–171.3 cm (5′7″) | P80–P97 |
| Very tall | ≥ 182.9 cm (6′0″) | ≥ 171.3 cm (5′7″) | P97–P100 |
Bands are percentiles among adults of the same sex: shortest 3% "very short", tallest 20% "tall", tallest 3% "very tall" — the same scale as every "Is it tall?" page on this site. Not a medical definition.
In Kenya, men under 163.7 cm (5′4″) are short (shortest 20%) and under 156.4 cm (5′2″) very short (shortest 3%). For women the limits are 153.4 cm (5′0″) and 146.6 cm (4′10″). Short or tall is just a statistical position.
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.