Average Male Height: A Historical and Scientific Overview

Height varies greatly among people, but scientists use the average height of humans for a number of studies. Average heights let scientists and anthropologists learn more about a culture.

Past Height Averages

• Men in the early American colonies had an average height of about 5'7 1/2". As time wore on and the American Revolution came about, the average height went up to about 5'8". This height goes against the typical belief that men earlier in history were significantly shorter than modern men.

Modern Averages

• As of 2010, the average height for American men was reported to be 5'9.2". American men were once the tallest in the world but have fallen behind--Norwegian and Dutch men average 5'10".

Height Factors

• Height can be determined by more than simply genetics; a nation̵7;s overall wealth, access to health care and economic success also come into play. The industrialization of the United States led to American men being among the tallest in the world.