Height of individuals by gender in England 2024| ��ƽ��

Mean height of individuals in England from 1998 to 2024, by gender (in centimeters)

Characteristic	Men	Women
1998	174.4	161
1999	174.4	161
2000	174.4	161
2001	174.6	161.1
2002	174.8	161.3
2003	175	161.4
2004	175	161.4
2005	175.3	161.4
2006	175.2	161.6
2007	175.3	161.6
2008	175.3	161.6
2009	175.4	161.5
2010	175.4	161.9
2011	175.3	161.9
2012	175.3	161.9
2013	175.6	162
2014	175.6	161.8
2015	175.5	162
2016	175.6	161.9
2017	175.3	161.9
2018	175.6	162.1
2019	175.5	161.7
2021	175.9	162.4
2022	176.2	162.3
2024	175.8	162.1

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Release date

January 2026

More information

Region

United Kingdom (England)

Survey time period

1998 to 2024

Number of respondents

6,778*

Age group

16-85 years and older

Special properties

interviewer measured except 2021 which was self-reported height

Method of interview

Telephone interview

Supplementary notes

* Weighted bases for 2024: n (men) = 3,302. n (women)= 3,476. Bases for previous years provided by the source.
Based on those with valid height measurements.

The source indicates:
"Data up to and including 2002 are unweighted; from 2003 onwards data have been weighted for non-response."
No data was collected in 2020 or 2023.

Citation formats

In the shown time period the mean height of men and women has generally increased in England. According to the survey, the average height of males rose slightly during the period in consideration, from 174.4 centimeters in 1998 to 175.8 centimeters (just over 5'9") in 2024. In comparison, the mean height of women was 162.1 centimeters (just under 5'4") in 2024, up from 161 in 1998.

Reasons for height increasing

While a large part of an adult’s final height is based on genetics, the environment in which a person grows up is also important. Improvements in nutrition, healthcare, and hygiene have seen the average heights increase over the last century, particularly in developed countries. Average height is usually seen as a barometer for the overall health of the population of a country, as the most developed are usually among the ‘tallest’ countries.

Average waist circumference also increasing

The prevalence of obesity among adults in England has generally been trending upward since 2000. In that year, 21 percent of men and women in England were classified as obese. By 2022, however, this share was 30 percent among women and 28 percent among men. Every adult age group in England had an average BMI which was classified as overweight, apart from those aged 16 to 24, indicating there is a problem with overweightness in England.