Is 5'11 Tall for a Man?

How 5'11 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 5'11" (180 cm), a man is clearly above average—the 76th percentile. Taller than roughly 76% of US adult men. Many people would describe this height as tall or tall-ish, especially compared to the average man at 5'9" (175 cm).

What Percentile Is 5'11" for a Man?

Using NHANES-based height distributions, 5'11" (180 cm) corresponds to approximately the 76th 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 76th percentile, 5'11" 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 5'11", a man sits above that central cluster. Percentiles give a clearer picture than subjective labels—being at the 76th 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.