Is 5'10 Tall for a Man?

How 5'10 Compares to US Adult Men

When Americans ask whether a height is "tall," they usually mean compared to other adult men. For US males aged 20 and older, height follows a bell-shaped distribution centered near 5'9" (175 cm), according to CDC/NCHS NHANES body-measure data.

At 5'10" (178 cm), a man is above the mean but still within the broad middle of the distribution—the 65th percentile. Taller than about 65% of men, but not high enough that most people would automatically call it "tall" in the way they would for 6 feet or above.

What Percentile Is 5'10" for a Man?

Using NHANES-based height distributions, 5'10" (178 cm) corresponds to approximately the 65th percentile for US adult males. A percentile tells you what share of the reference population is shorter than you.

The 50th percentile for US men is about 5'9" (175 cm). At the 65th percentile, 5'10" is above that midpoint, which helps explain whether the height feels average, short, or tall in daily life.

What "Above or Below Average" Really Means

"Average" adult male height in the US is about 5'9", but average is not the same as typical range. Most men cluster within a few inches of the mean—roughly 5'6" to 6'0" covers a large share of the population (approximately the 16th to 84th percentiles).

At 5'10", a man sits above that central cluster. Percentiles give a clearer picture than subjective labels—being at the 65th percentile is a precise way to say you are taller than most US men.

Social perceptions of "tall" often kick in around the 75th–85th percentile (roughly 5'11"–6'0"), though this varies by region and peer group. Statistical percentiles from CDC data provide a consistent, data-backed answer regardless of local norms.

Data source: CDC/NCHS NHANES Body Measures (adults ≥20 years). Methodology aligns with our percentile calculator methodology.