What Height Is Considered "Tall"? (With Real Data)
Forget vague opinions — here is where "tall" actually starts for men and women, based on real percentile data.
In the US, a man is statistically "tall" starting around 6'2" (188 cm) and a woman around 5'8" (173 cm) — both sit near the 95th percentile, meaning only about 1 in 20 adults is taller.
"Tall" feels subjective, but statisticians draw the line with percentiles: the top 5% of the population. Below you will find the exact percentile tables for men and women, why the same number means very different things by sex and country, and how to check where you stand.
The short answer: the percentile tables
Height percentiles come from large population surveys (in the US, NHANES by the CDC). The 95th percentile is the standard cut-off researchers use for "tall" — above it, you are taller than roughly 95 out of 100 people your sex.
| Percentile | Men | Women | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50th (average) | 5'9" (175 cm) | 5'3.5" (161 cm) | Right in the middle |
| 75th | 5'11" (180 cm) | 5'5" (165 cm) | Noticeably above average |
| 90th | 6'0.5" (184 cm) | 5'6.5" (169 cm) | Tall-ish — top 10% |
| 95th | 6'2" (188 cm) | 5'8" (173 cm) | Tall — top 5% |
| 97th+ | 6'3"+ (190 cm+) | 5'9"+ (175 cm+) | Very tall — top 3% |
Approximate values for US adults (NHANES). Sources vary slightly by survey year — use as a reference, not an exact measurement.
Men vs women: context changes everything
The same height can be average for one sex and tall for the other. A 5'8" (173 cm) man sits around the 30th percentile — below average. A 5'8" woman is at the 95th percentile — unambiguously tall.
This is why "is X tall?" has no answer without knowing the sex:
- • 5'7" (170 cm): average-ish man (~25th percentile) vs tall woman (~90th percentile)
- • 5'10" (178 cm): above-average man (~70th) vs very tall woman (~98th)
- • 6'0" (183 cm): above-average man (~84th) vs extremely tall woman (~99th+)
It depends on the country too
"Tall" is relative to the population around you. In the Netherlands, where the average man is 183.8 cm, 6'2" barely turns heads. In Japan, where the average man is about 172 cm, the same height stands out clearly.
Rough "tall" thresholds (95th percentile) around the world:
- • Netherlands: ~6'4" (193 cm) men / ~5'10" (178 cm) women
- • USA: ~6'2" (188 cm) men / ~5'8" (173 cm) women
- • Brazil: ~6'1" (185 cm) men / ~5'7" (170 cm) women
- • Japan: ~5'11" (180 cm) men / ~5'5" (165 cm) women
Where do you stand?
Numbers are useful, but nothing beats seeing it. Put your height next to a friend, a celebrity, or the average for your country and see the difference visually:
Frequently asked questions
Is 6 foot tall?
For a man in the US, 6'0" (183 cm) is about the 84th percentile — taller than most people you meet, but just short of the statistical "tall" cut-off (95th percentile, ~6'2"). In everyday language, most people would still call it tall.
Is 5'8" tall for a woman?
Yes. At 5'8" (173 cm), a woman in the US is around the 95th percentile — taller than about 19 out of 20 women. That is firmly in "tall" territory by any definition.
What height is considered tall in Japan?
Because averages are lower (about 172 cm for men, 158 cm for women), the "tall" threshold sits around 5'11" (180 cm) for men and 5'5" (165 cm) for women — roughly the 95th percentile of the Japanese population.
What height is considered short?
The mirror of "tall": below the 5th percentile. In the US that is roughly under 5'5" (164 cm) for men and under 5'0" (151 cm) for women. Like "tall", it shifts with sex and country.