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Height Calculator

Calculate a height percentile with WHO and CDC reference data and convert measurements between centimeters and feet and inches.

Your Height

5 ft 11 in

180.3 cm

Growth reference
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Average height
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Typical range
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Reference chart

Current 5 ft 11 in / 180.3 cm
Reference -

Growth charts

Growth reference

Percentile position

Height by age

Enter height details to see unit conversion and percentile context.

Interpret your height result

This calculator converts length or height measurements and shows growth context using WHO standards under age 2 and CDC stature-for-age LMS data from ages 2 through 20. Adult entries use the 20+ reference context for the selected sex.

Inputs that matter most

  • Age: WHO length-for-age applies under age 2; CDC stature-for-age applies from age 2 through 20.
  • Sex: used for WHO and CDC growth references.
  • Current length or height: use recumbent length for babies and standing height without shoes for older children and adults.
  • Units: standard and metric entries produce the same converted result.

Common mistakes

  • Entering decimal feet instead of feet plus inches.
  • Using a single height measurement to judge growth without a growth history.
  • Reading an adult result as a child growth percentile instead of 20+ reference context.

When this estimate can be misleading

Length and height percentiles can be misleading when puberty timing, nutrition, medical history, or measurement error affect the inputs.

Scenarios to try

  • Switch units to confirm feet, inches, and centimeters agree.
  • For a baby, child, or teen, review the percentile as screening context.
  • For an adult, use the result as a unit conversion and 20+ reference context.

Next-step utilities

BMI Calculator Unit Converter

How to use this height calculator

Enter age, sex, and current length or height in standard or metric units.

  1. Choose standard or metric units.
  2. Enter the current length or height and age.
  3. Review the converted measurement, WHO or CDC percentile, reference midpoint, and middle 90% range.

Height Calculator features

  • Enter age, sex, and current length or height.
  • Switch between standard and metric height inputs.
  • Convert height measurements between standard and metric units.
  • Review WHO or CDC percentile context based on age.
  • Compare the measurement with the reference midpoint.
  • Review the middle 90% range for the selected age and sex.
  • Use infant length and child height context in one calculator.

What the length/height percentile means

A percentile places a child's length or height within growth references for the same age and sex.

For ages under 2, the percentile uses WHO length-for-age standards. For ages 2 through 20, it uses the CDC 2000 stature-for-age reference. For example, the 60th percentile means the measurement is above about 60 percent of the reference group for that age and sex.

For ages over 20, the calculator uses the final CDC stature row as 20+ adult-height context. It is not a medical evaluation.

Length/height formulas and data sources

The calculator combines direct unit conversion with WHO and CDC LMS percentiles.

Unit conversion
height_{cm} = height_{in} \cdot 2.54
WHO/CDC LMS z-score
z = \frac{(x / M)^L - 1}{L \cdot S}

When L is 0, the calculator uses the LMS log form: z = ln(x / M) / S.

Percentile
percentile = \Phi(z) \cdot 100

Under-2 percentile context uses WHO Child Growth Standards length-for-age data. Child and teen percentile context uses CDC 2000 stature-for-age LMS data. The LMS method converts the entered length or height to a z-score, then to a percentile.

Height calculator FAQ

Why does the adult result use a 20+ reference?
The CDC stature-for-age LMS dataset used here runs through age 20. For adults, the calculator keeps unit conversion exact, then uses the final CDC row as general 20+ height context.
Why do babies use WHO data?
CDC recommends WHO growth standards for children younger than 2 years. The calculator uses WHO length-for-age values below age 2, then CDC stature-for-age values from age 2 onward.
Which reference is used for my age?
Ages under 2 use WHO length-for-age standards. Ages 2 through 20 use CDC stature-for-age LMS data. Ages over 20 use the final CDC row as general 20+ reference context.
Is a low or high height percentile a diagnosis?
No. A percentile is screening context, not a diagnosis. Growth over time matters more than one measurement.

Read a height percentile as a reference, not a target

A percentile compares the entered height with a reference group of the same age and sex. The 60th percentile means the height is greater than about 60 percent of the reference group, not that growth is 60 percent complete or 60 percent healthy. Percentiles do not rank people by health, ability, or expected adult height.

For children, the pattern across time matters more than one point. Measurements taken with shoes, rounded ages, posture changes, or an inaccurate wall mark can shift the result. Use a flat floor, a vertical surface, a level head position, and the same units each time. A clinician can plot accurate measurements on the appropriate chart and review growth velocity.

Reference data also have limits. The CDC recommends WHO growth standards from birth to age 2 and CDC charts from age 2 onward in U.S. clinical practice. A calculator may interpolate between published points, while a clinical assessment may account for birth history, puberty, family pattern, and medical conditions.

Adult percentile comparisons are descriptive and do not predict posture, reach, clothing fit, or health. Height also changes slightly during the day because the spine compresses while upright. Use converted values for convenience, but retain the original measured unit when precision matters so repeated rounding does not accumulate.

Seek professional guidance when a child crosses percentile lines, growth appears to stop, or there are other symptoms; the chart alone cannot identify a cause. If you also need a height-and-weight screening calculation, use the BMI calculator and apply its age-specific interpretation limits.

Do not compare a child's result with a sibling or classmate as a way to judge development. Children can enter growth spurts and puberty at different times. Family heights provide context but do not turn a percentile into a prediction. If you record measurements at home, write down the date, age, device, and method so a later reading can be compared fairly instead of relying on memory.

A conversion is exact only to the precision of the original measurement. Reporting many decimal places after converting a height measured to the nearest inch creates false precision. Round the displayed value to the level the task needs, and do not round between intermediate conversions. For forms, use the unit and rounding rule requested by the organization.

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