If you’ve spent any time on TikTok or watched Dancing with the Stars lately, you know the name Rylee Arnold. She basically took the ballroom by storm and didn't look back. But there is one question that pops up in every comment section, every Google search, and every fan forum: how old is Rylee Arnold exactly?
People are obsessed with her age for a reason. She’s young. Like, "first pro born after the show premiered" young.
The Quick Answer: Rylee Arnold’s Current Age
Let’s get the numbers out of the way first. Rylee Arnold was born on June 5, 2005. As we are now in early 2026, that makes her 20 years old.
She’s a Gemini, which honestly explains a lot about her high energy and how quickly she can switch between being a goofy teenager on social media and a dead-serious professional choreographer on national television.
It’s kinda wild when you think about it. Dancing with the Stars premiered on June 1, 2005. Rylee was born just four days later. She literally hasn't lived a single day in a world where this show didn't exist. Talk about destiny.
Why Everyone Is So Confused About Her Age
A lot of the confusion comes from the fact that we’ve seen her on TV for what feels like forever. She first hit our screens back in 2018 on Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. She was just 13 then, partnered with Miles Brown.
Because she’s been in the public eye since her early teens, people often think she’s older than she is. Or, conversely, because she’s the "baby" of the Arnold sisters, people treat her like she’s still 16.
Honestly, it’s a weird middle ground to be in.
Then there’s the Lindsay factor. Her older sister, Lindsay Arnold, is a DWTS legend. Lindsay is about 11 years older than Rylee (born in 1994), and since they look so much alike, casual viewers sometimes mix up their timelines.
The Youngest Pro Ever?
When Rylee joined the main cast in 2023 for Season 32, she was only 18. That made her the youngest professional dancer on the show at that time.
She wasn't the youngest ever—that record belongs to Julianne Hough, who was also 18 but technically a few months younger when she started—but Rylee is certainly the youngest in the modern era of the show.
- Season 32 (2023): She was 18, partnered with Harry Jowsey.
- Season 33 (2024): She was 19, partnered with "Pommel Horse King" Stephen Nedoroscik.
- Season 34 (2025): She was 20, partnered with Scott Hoying from Pentatonix.
Seeing a 20-year-old boss around Olympic athletes and famous singers is pretty impressive. It takes a specific kind of maturity to tell a grown man he’s off-beat while millions of people are watching.
Managing Type 1 Diabetes at Twenty
One thing that really adds perspective to her age is her health journey. Rylee was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when she was just 16.
Imagine being a teenager, training for world-class dance competitions, and suddenly having to manage insulin, blood sugar spikes, and an autoimmune disease. Most 16-year-olds are worried about their driver's license test; she was worried about her pancreas.
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She’s been super open about it on social media. She often wears her Dexcom (a continuous glucose monitor) right on her arm during performances. Honestly, it’s become a huge part of her brand. She’s showing kids that you can be a pro athlete even when your body is playing on "hard mode."
She actually had to skip the 2025 DWTS tour because of some health struggles related to her diabetes. It was a big bummer for fans, but it showed a lot of maturity. At 20, she’s already learning that her long-term health matters more than a few months of touring.
Growing Up in a "Dance Dynasty"
You can't talk about how old Rylee is without talking about where she came from. She’s the youngest of four sisters: Lindsay, Jensen, and Brynley.
In the Arnold house in Provo, Utah, dancing wasn't just a hobby. It was the family business. Their mom, Mindy, owned a dance studio.
- Lindsay (the oldest): The DWTS pro who paved the way.
- Jensen: A runner-up on So You Think You Can Dance.
- Brynley: A talented dancer who eventually chose nursing.
- Rylee: The youngest, who basically combined all their talents into one career.
Rylee spent her childhood in the wings of the DWTS set. While other kids were at soccer practice, she was watching her sister win a Mirrorball Trophy. By the time she was 10, she was already competing in world championships in places like Paris.
What’s Next for the 20-Year-Old Star?
So, she’s 20. She’s got a few seasons of DWTS under her belt. She has millions of followers. What now?
The "Rylee Arnold era" is really just beginning. Most pros don't even get their start until their mid-20s. She’s already a veteran before she can even legally buy a drink in the US.
She’s currently balancing being a professional athlete with the typical life of a Gen Z creator. She vlogs, she does brand deals, and she spends a lot of time with her sisters.
If you're following her journey, the best thing you can do is keep an eye on her TikTok and Instagram (@ryleearnold1). She’s very active there, and it’s the best way to see how she’s managing her Type 1 Diabetes while training for upcoming seasons.
If you're a fan of her choreography, you can actually take her classes online through her sisters' platforms like The Movement Club. It’s a cool way to see the technical side of what she does.
The biggest takeaway? Age is just a number, but in Rylee’s case, that number represents a decade of hard work that started way before we ever saw her on TV.
Whether she's 20 or 40, she’s likely going to be a fixture in the dance world for a long, long time. Just don't expect her to slow down anytime soon.
Check out her latest YouTube vlogs with her sisters to see the "behind the scenes" of her life in Utah—it's a lot more relatable than the glitz of the ballroom.