Average Height by Age for Boys and Girls
Median stature at each age for boys and girls, with the surrounding reference distribution. Every value is derived from the CDC 2000 growth reference; it is not an individual health assessment.
Why Pediatric Standards Use Median Instead of Average
In everyday speech, 'average' usually means the mathematical mean. In pediatric growth references, standard charts use the median (50th percentile). Because human height distributions are slightly skewed at the extremes, the median provides a far more stable midpoint that is not distorted by outliers. When checking median height for boys or girls, remember that half of healthy adolescents naturally measure above this number and half measure below it.
| Age | Boys | Girls | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cm | ft / in | cm | ft / in | |
| 2 | 86.5 | 2'10" | 85 | 2'9.5" |
| 3 | 95 | 3'1.4" | 93.9 | 3'1" |
| 4 | 102.2 | 3'4.2" | 100.8 | 3'3.7" |
| 5 | 108.9 | 3'6.9" | 107.7 | 3'6.4" |
| 6 | 115.4 | 3'9.4" | 114.7 | 3'9.2" |
| 7 | 121.8 | 3'11.9" | 121.5 | 3'11.8" |
| 8 | 127.9 | 4'2.3" | 127.6 | 4'2.2" |
| 9 | 133.5 | 4'4.6" | 132.9 | 4'4.3" |
| 10 | 138.6 | 4'6.6" | 138 | 4'6.3" |
| 11 | 143.5 | 4'8.5" | 144 | 4'8.7" |
| 12 | 149.1 | 4'10.7" | 151.2 | 4'11.5" |
| 13 | 156.1 | 5'1.5" | 157.2 | 5'1.9" |
| 14 | 163.8 | 5'4.5" | 160.4 | 5'3.1" |
| 15 | 169.9 | 5'6.9" | 161.9 | 5'3.7" |
| 16 | 173.5 | 5'8.3" | 162.5 | 5'4" |
| 17 | 175.3 | 5'9" | 162.9 | 5'4.1" |
| 18 | 176.2 | 5'9.4" | 163.1 | 5'4.2" |
| 19 | 176.6 | 5'9.5" | 163.3 | 5'4.3" |
How the CDC 2000 LMS Curves Work
The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) generated the CDC 2000 Growth Charts using the Cole LMS method. It models skewness (L), the median (M), and the coefficient of variation (S) across continuous age months. This mathematical smoothing produces precise percentile curves without arbitrary jumps between age brackets.
Population Scope vs. TallMax Assessment Scope
The CDC reference tables on this website cover ages 2 to 19 for general population reference. However, the interactive TallMax comprehensive assessment strictly focuses on adolescents aged 13 to 17. For this teen cohort, puberty timing, measured velocity, and family parental target ranges provide critical context that raw reference tables alone cannot capture.
Limits of this data
These are population reference values, not predictions. They say nothing about how tall any individual will end up, and they do not replace a clinician's assessment. The CDC 2000 charts describe a US reference population and may fit other populations less well.
Check Your Child or Teen's Growth
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