Average Height of Men Explained: What Most People Get Wrong

You’ve probably stood in a crowd and wondered why everyone else seems to be towering over you—or why you're suddenly looking down at the tops of people's heads. Height is one of those weirdly personal things we obsess over, yet the hard data is often buried in dry academic journals.

Honestly, the "average" isn't a fixed target. It's a moving goalpost.

The Global Baseline

If we look at the entire planet, the average height of men sits right around 5 feet 7.5 inches (171 cm). That sounds a bit short if you’re living in the American Midwest or walking the streets of Amsterdam, doesn't it? But that’s the reality of averaging out nearly four billion guys. You have populations in Southeast Asia where the mean might be 5'4", balancing out the giants in Scandinavia.

In the United States, things are different. The latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put the average American man at 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm). This hasn't actually changed much in the last few decades. While our waistlines have expanded, our vertical growth has mostly hit a plateau.

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Why? We might have reached our "biological asymptote." That’s just a fancy way of saying we’ve likely maxed out what our genetics and current nutrition can provide.

Where the Giants Live

If you want to feel short, buy a plane ticket to the Netherlands. The Dutch are officially the tallest men on Earth. The average guy there is roughly 6 feet (183 cm) tall.

It wasn't always like this. A century ago, the Dutch were actually among the shorter populations in Europe. Their sudden vertical sprout is a goldmine for researchers like those at the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration. They’ve tracked how better dairy intake, universal healthcare, and—interestingly—natural selection played a role. Tall men in the Netherlands have historically had more children, passing those "tall" genes down at a higher rate.

Other tall spots include:

• Montenegro: 6'0" (183 cm)
• Estonia: 5'11.5" (182 cm)
• Denmark: 5'11.5" (182 cm)

The Genetics vs. Environment Tussle

You've heard that height is all in the genes. That’s mostly true—about 80% to 90% true, according to studies published in Nature Genetics. If your parents are tall, you'll probably be tall.

But that remaining 10% to 20% is where the magic (or the tragedy) happens. This is the "environmental factor." It’s basically about what you ate and how sick you got when you were a kid.

Nutrition is the big one. Specifically protein and micronutrients like Vitamin D and Calcium during the first 1,000 days of life. This is why we see such a massive discrepancy in the average height of men between developed and developing nations. In Timor-Leste, for example, the average man is around 5'3". It’s not just genetics; it's a history of nutritional stunted growth.

When people from shorter-statured regions move to places with better food security, their children often grow significantly taller than the parents. It’s a literal manifestation of "nurture" over "nature."

The Strange Reality of "Height Shrinkage"

Here’s a fun fact that nobody likes to hear: you are shrinking.

Most men reach their peak height in their late 20s. By the time you hit 40 or 50, gravity starts winning. The discs between your vertebrae begin to compress and lose fluid. On average, men lose about a quarter to a half-inch every decade after 40. By the time you're 80, you might be two inches shorter than you were at your wedding.

Stretching helps. Good posture helps. But the physics of being a human on Earth means we all eventually succumb to the squeeze.

Does Height Actually Matter?

We’re told it doesn't, but society says otherwise. There’s a well-documented "height premium" in the business world. Studies have shown that for every inch of height, a man’s annual earnings increase by a specific percentage—often cited around $800 per inch per year.

It’s a bias. It’s not fair. But it’s there.

Evolutionary psychologists think this is because we subconsciously associate height with health and dominance. It's a leftover bit of brain coding from when being the tallest guy in the tribe meant you were the best at fending off sabertooth tigers.

Why the US is Falling Behind

Back in the early 20th century, American men were the tallest in the world. We had the best food and the most space. But now? We’ve plummeted in the rankings. We're currently sitting around 37th or 40th depending on the year's data.

The reason isn't that we’re getting shorter. It's that everyone else caught up and passed us. European countries implemented social safety nets that ensured even the poorest kids got high-quality nutrition. Meanwhile, the American diet shifted toward processed foods that are high in calories but low in the specific nutrients needed for bone growth.

Also, the "melting pot" effect plays a role. As the U.S. population becomes more diverse, with more people moving from regions with historically shorter averages, the national mean shifts. It’s a demographic cocktail that keeps the needle at 5'9".

Measuring Correctly (Because You’re Probably Doing It Wrong)

If you’re measuring yourself at home, you’re likely adding an inch. Most guys do.

To get an honest reading of where you stand against the average height of men, you need a hard floor—no carpet. Stand with your heels, butt, and the back of your head against a flat wall. Use a flat object like a book to mark the wall at a 90-degree angle to your head.

And do it in the morning. You’re actually taller when you first wake up because your spine hasn't been compressed by a day of walking around. You can gain up to a full centimeter just by sleeping.

What to Do With This Information

Don't sweat the stats too much. Being "average" is, by definition, where most people are. If you’re worried about your kids' growth, focus on high-quality sleep and protein-rich diets during their pre-teen years. That’s the window where the environment can actually nudge the genetic needle.

For yourself? Focus on posture. Most men lose an inch of perceived height just by slouching over a smartphone. Core strength and spinal mobility won't make your bones longer, but they’ll keep you at your maximum "true" height for a lot longer.

Actionable Next Steps:

1. Track Growth Early: if you have children, ensure they are hitting their pediatric growth curves; deviations often signal nutritional or hormonal gaps that are easier to fix before puberty ends.
2. Prioritize Bone Density: After age 30, start focusing on resistance training and Vitamin K2/D3 intake to slow the natural vertebral compression that leads to height loss in later life.
3. Audit Your Posture: Use a "wall test" once a month to check for forward-head posture, which can make you appear 1-2 inches shorter than you actually are.