Last updated August 8, 2025
| 1 |  | South Dakota | 5'10.7" |
| 2 |  | Mississippi | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Alabama | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Oklahoma | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Nebraska | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Utah | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Tennessee | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Montana | 5'10.5" |
| 2 |  | Idaho | 5'10.5" |
| 10 |  | Wyoming | 5'10.4" |
| 10 |  | Kansas | 5'10.4" |
| 10 |  | Oregon | 5'10.4" |
| 10 |  | North Dakota | 5'10.4" |
| 10 |  | Arkansas | 5'10.4" |
| 10 |  | West Virginia | 5'10.4" |
| 16 |  | Missouri | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Virginia | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Nevada | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Indiana | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Minnesota | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | South Carolina | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Iowa | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | North Carolina | 5'10.3" |
| 16 |  | Ohio | 5'10.3" |
| 25 |  | Washington | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Alaska | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Florida | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Colorado | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Michigan | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Georgia | 5'10.2" |
| 25 |  | Wisconsin | 5'10.2" |
| 32 |  | Louisiana | 5'10.1" |
| 33 |  | Maine | 5'10.0" |
| 33 |  | Maryland | 5'10.0" |
| 33 |  | Vermont | 5'10.0" |
| 33 |  | Arizona | 5'10.0" |
| 33 |  | Illinois | 5'10.0" |
| 38 |  | Delaware | 5'9.9" |
| 38 |  | Massachusetts | 5'9.9" |
| 38 |  | Connecticut | 5'9.9" |
| 41 |  | Texas | 5'9.8" |
| 41 |  | New Jersey | 5'9.8" |
| 41 |  | New Hampshire | 5'9.8" |
| 41 |  | California | 5'9.8" |
| 45 |  | New Mexico | 5'9.7" |
| 46 |  | New York | 5'9.6" |
| 47 |  | Rhode Island | 5'9.5" |
| 48 |  | Hawaii | 5'9.0" |
| 49 |  | Puerto Rico | 5'8.3" |
| 50 |  | Guam | 5'7.9" |
Worldwide, the United States ranks 47th on male average height and 57th for female average height. The country has experienced one of the biggest declines in global height rankings. A study of eLife indicates that in 1914, American men ranked 3rd globally and women ranked 4th. By 2014, U.S. men had plummeted to 37th globally, while women dropped to 42nd.
Historical aspects, from ancestral immigration waves to contemporary income distributions, influenced modern health outcomes. The US height varies by state, the difference between the tallest and the shortest states reaches 1.7 inches.
Height serves as a biological marker of cumulative nutrition, healthcare access, and environmental conditions. Genetics provides the fundamental architecture for height differences, accounting for 60-80% of individual variation, and 20-40% can be related to environmental factors. Nutrition emerges as the most critical environmental factor, particularly high-quality protein consumption during childhood before puberty.
Our data is based on the CDC’s 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The analysis covered over 430,000 US inhabitants from 48 states. According to the organization, ‘during 2023, Kentucky and Pennsylvania were unable to collect enough data to meet the minimum requirements to be included in this public data set. The data set has been modified to comply with President Trump’s executive orders.’
| Region ↕ | Average Male Height 2023↕ | Average Female Height 2023↕ |
|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | 5'10.7" | 5'4.6" |
| Mississippi | 5'10.5" | 5'4.4" |
| Alabama | 5'10.5" | 5'4.5" |
| Oklahoma | 5'10.5" | 5'4.4" |
| Nebraska | 5'10.5" | 5'4.5" |
| Utah | 5'10.5" | 5'4.7" |
| Tennessee | 5'10.5" | 5'4.3" |
| Montana | 5'10.5" | 5'4.6" |
| Idaho | 5'10.5" | 5'4.5" |
| Wyoming | 5'10.4" | 5'4.5" |
| Kansas | 5'10.4" | 5'4.5" |
| Oregon | 5'10.4" | 5'4.6" |
| North Dakota | 5'10.4" | 5'4.4" |
| Arkansas | 5'10.4" | 5'4.2" |
| West Virginia | 5'10.4" | 5'4.1" |
| Missouri | 5'10.3" | 5'4.3" |
| Virginia | 5'10.3" | 5'4.3" |
| Nevada | 5'10.3" | 5'4.4" |
| Indiana | 5'10.3" | 5'4.2" |
| Minnesota | 5'10.3" | 5'4.6" |
| South Carolina | 5'10.3" | 5'4.3" |
| Iowa | 5'10.3" | 5'4.4" |
| North Carolina | 5'10.3" | 5'4.4" |
| Ohio | 5'10.3" | 5'4.3" |
| Washington | 5'10.2" | 5'4.4" |
| Alaska | 5'10.2" | 5'4.5" |
| Florida | 5'10.2" | 5'4.2" |
| Colorado | 5'10.2" | 5'4.4" |
| Michigan | 5'10.2" | 5'4.2" |
| Georgia | 5'10.2" | 5'4.3" |
| Wisconsin | 5'10.2" | 5'4.3" |
| Louisiana | 5'10.1" | 5'4.3" |
| Maine | 5'10.0" | 5'4.2" |
| Maryland | 5'10.0" | 5'4.2" |
| Vermont | 5'10.0" | 5'4.3" |
| Arizona | 5'10.0" | 5'4.2" |
| Illinois | 5'10.0" | 5'4.2" |
| Delaware | 5'9.9" | 5'4.2" |
| Massachusetts | 5'9.9" | 5'4.1" |
| Connecticut | 5'9.9" | 5'4.1" |
| Texas | 5'9.8" | 5'4.0" |
| New Jersey | 5'9.8" | 5'4.0" |
| New Hampshire | 5'9.8" | 5'3.8" |
| California | 5'9.8" | 5'4.1" |
| New Mexico | 5'9.7" | 5'3.7" |
| New York | 5'9.6" | 5'4.0" |
| Rhode Island | 5'9.5" | 5'3.7" |
| Hawaii | 5'9.0" | 5'3.3" |
| Puerto Rico | 5'8.3" | 5'3.0" |
| Guam | 5'7.9" | 5'2.3" |
South Dakota is the tallest state at 5'10.7", considering males average. Eight states share the 2nd position at 5'10.5": Alabama, Idaho, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah. So, Arkansas ranks 10th with 5'10.4".
| State | Height (ft) |
|---|---|
| South Dakota | 5'10.7" |
| Alabama | 5'10.5" |
| Idaho | 5'10.5" |
| Mississippi | 5'10.5" |
| Montana | 5'10.5" |
| Nebraska | 5'10.5" |
| Oklahoma | 5'10.5" |
| Tennessee | 5'10.5" |
| Utah | 5'10.5" |
| Arkansas | 5'10.4" |
Utah leads female height measurements at 5'4.7". The 2nd position is composed of five states, averaging 5'4.6": Minnesota, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington D.C. In sequence, other seven states rank 3rd with 5'4.5": Alabama, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, and the Virgin Islands.
| State | Height (ft) |
|---|---|
| Utah | 5'4.7" |
| Minnesota | 5'4.6" |
| Montana | 5'4.6" |
| Oregon | 5'4.6" |
| South Dakota | 5'4.6" |
| Washington D.C. | 5'4.6" |
| Alabama | 5'4.5" |
| Alaska | 5'4.5" |
| Idaho | 5'4.5" |
| Kansas | 5'4.5" |
| Nebraska | 5'4.5" |
| Wyoming | 5'4.5" |
| Virgin Islands | 5'4.5" |
Guam has the shortest male height of all U.S. territories at 5'7.9", followed by Puerto Rico at 5'8.3". The Virgin Islands (5'9.4") and Rhode Island (5'9.5") also account for the shortest heights for men.
Among the 50 U.S. states, Hawaii has the shortest male height at 5'9.0". New York ranks 2nd at 5'9.6". New Mexico ranks 3rd at 5'9.7". Four states share the 4th position at 5'9.8": California, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Texas. Delaware, Connecticut, and Massachusetts complete the top 10 shortest states with an average height of 5'10.0" for men.
| State/Territory | Height (ft) |
|---|---|
| Guam | 5'7.9" |
| Puerto Rico | 5'8.3" |
| Hawaii | 5'9.0" |
| Virgin Islands | 5'9.4" |
| Rhode Island | 5'9.5" |
| New York | 5'9.6" |
| New Mexico | 5'9.7" |
| California | 5'9.8" |
| New Hampshire | 5'9.8" |
| New Jersey | 5'9.8" |
| Texas | 5'9.8" |
| Connecticut | 5'9.9" |
| Delaware | 5'9.9" |
| Massachusetts | 5'9.9" |
Among U.S. territories, Guam has the shortest female height at 5'2.3", followed by Puerto Rico with 5'3.0". Rhode Island also are between the shortes females measures with 5'3.7".
Among the 50 U.S. states, Hawaii also has the shortest female height at 5'3.3". New Mexico places 2nd with 5'3.7". New Hampshire ranks 3rd at 5'3.8".Three states tie for 5th position at 5'4.0": New Jersey, Texas and New York. California, Connecticut, Massachusetts and West Virginia completes the top 10 shortest states at 5'4.1" each.
| State/Territory | Height (ft) |
|---|---|
| Guam | 5'2.3" |
| Puerto Rico | 5'3.0" |
| Hawaii | 5'3.3" |
| New Mexico | 5'3.7" |
| Rhode Island | 5'3.7" |
| New Hampshire | 5'3.8" |
| New Jersey | 5'4.0" |
| Texas | 5'4.0" |
| New York | 5'4.0" |
| Connecticut | 5'4.1" |
| Massachusetts | 5'4.1" |
| California | 5'4.1" |
| West Virginia | 5'4.1" |
