Summary
The average male height for a man in the US is 5’9″ (175.4 cm).
The average height for a woman in the US is 5’4″ (164 cm), 5 inches shorter than the average man.
The tallest state for men is Montana; Utah is home to the tallest women.
Hawaii is the shortest state for both men and women.
Midwestern states as a region are taller than other areas of the country.
With an average height for men of 5’9 and women of 5’4″, the United States is not the tallest country by far. While the average height for men at 5’9 (175.4 cm) might seem respectable, it is dwarfed by taller countries such as the Netherlands where the average man towers at 6′. Ultimately, height is determined from a variety of factors, including genetics and nutrition. Due to this, average heights diverge based on location. In the US, that means average height can differ quite a bit between states.
Using data from the CDC, we found the tallest and shortest states. Keep reading to see a breakdown of the tallest and shortest states for both men and women, as well as how all states measure up.
Tallest States In The US
Montana is the tallest state. In general, Western and Midwestern states dominate the top 10.
Shortest States In The US
The shortest state is Hawaii. The average Hawaiian man is only 5’7″ compared to Montana where the average man is almost 5’10”. 6 Eastern states are among the 10 shortest. One interesting exception? Texas. Guess not -everything- is bigger in Texas.
Methodology
Our data comes from the most recent CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) 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.
These numbers are self reported and did not involve physical measurement of participants. However, studies find that self reported height is usually only 1.18 inches less than actual height. This, combined with such a large sample size, make the BRFSS survey the best, most accurate data available for measuring average height in each state.
To find the average, we simply averaged the overall heights for men and women in each state together. The more inches on average, the taller the state and vice versa.
Each state’s height is presented in feet and inches for readability purposes,. From there we simply determined which states had the highest and lowest average in each category, using the data to create the map, table, and lists displayed here.
Average Height In Each State
| Rank | State | Men’s Height | Women’s Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 5.889 | 5.390 |
| 2 | Utah | 5.886 | 5.391 |
| 3 | Iowa | 5.883 | 5.382 |
| 4 | Idaho | 5.877 | 5.381 |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5.871 | 5.382 |
| 6 | Nebraska | 5.884 | 5.387 |
| 7 | Colorado | 5.861 | 5.371 |
| 8 | South Dakota | 5.888 | 5.390 |
| 9 | North Dakota | 5.871 | 5.372 |
| 10 | Oregon | 5.860 | 5.382 |
| 11 | Nevada | 5.864 | 5.366 |
| 12 | Kansas | 5.881 | 5.372 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 5.860 | 5.375 |
| 14 | Illinois | 5.858 | 5.386 |
| 15 | Washington | 5.863 | 5.367 |
| 16 | Alaska | 5.836 | 5.368 |
| 17 | Kentucky | 5.866 | 5.363 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 5.851 | 5.348 |
| 19 | Wyoming | 5.872 | 5.369 |
| 20 | Missouri | 5.865 | 5.371 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 5.866 | 5.365 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | 5.850 | 5.374 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 5.847 | 5.368 |
| 24 | Ohio | 5.855 | 5.359 |
| 25 | Arizona | 5.842 | 5.357 |
| 26 | Virginia | 5.853 | 5.361 |
| 27 | Indiana | 5.855 | 5.354 |
| 28 | South Carolina | 5.859 | 5.360 |
| 29 | Alabama | 5.878 | 5.375 |
| 30 | Maryland | 5.846 | 5.357 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | 5.864 | 5.363 |
| 32 | Georgia | 5.852 | 5.358 |
| 33 | Louisiana | 5.841 | 5.349 |
| 34 | Michigan | 5.856 | 5.348 |
| 35 | West Virginia | 5.858 | 5.349 |
| 36 | New Jersey | 5.813 | 5.339 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | 5.829 | 5.348 |
| 38 | Vermont | 5.836 | 5.353 |
| 39 | Mississippi | 5.867 | 5.372 |
| 40 | California | 5.799 | 5.346 |
| 41 | Florida | 5.832 | 5.348 |
| 42 | Delaware | 5.832 | 5.352 |
| 43 | Arkansas | 5.848 | 5.357 |
| 44 | Texas | 5.814 | 5.326 |
| 45 | Connecticut | 5.814 | 5.340 |
| 46 | New Hampshire | 5.833 | 5.335 |
| 47 | New York | 5.811 | 5.342 |
| 48 | Maine | 5.837 | 5.351 |
| 49 | Rhode Island | 5.810 | 5.318 |
| 50 | New Mexico | 5.808 | 5.307 |
| 51 | Hawaii | 5.748 | 5.288 |
Average United States Height FAQ
Which state has the tallest average height?
Montana is the tallest state with an average male height of 5’9″ and female height of 5’4″.
What is the average height for a man in the US?
The average male height for a man in the US is 5’9″ (175.4 cm).
What is the average height for a woman in the US?
The average height for a woman in the US is 5’4″ (164 cm), 5 inches shorter than the average man.
What is the shortest state?
The shortest state for both men and women is Hawaii.
What is the average height in the US?
The average male height for a man in the US is 5’9″ (175.4 cm). The average height for a woman in the US is 5’4″ (164 cm), 5 inches shorter than the average man.
What race has the highest average height?
According to the CDC, white men have an average height of 5’10”, followed by Black men at 5’9”. Both Asian and Hispanic men have an average height of 5’7″.