Is 5'5 Tall for a Woman?

How 5'5 Compares to US Adult Women

For US females aged 20 and older, adult height follows a roughly bell-shaped distribution centered near 5'4" (162 cm), according to CDC/NCHS NHANES body-measure data. Comparing any specific height to this reference population gives a clear, data-backed answer.

At 5'5" (165 cm), a woman is above the mean—the 68th percentile. Taller than about 68% of US adult women. Many would describe this as above average; whether it qualifies as "tall" depends on context, but it is clearly above the 5'4" norm.

What Percentile Is 5'5" for a Woman?

Using NHANES-based height distributions, 5'5" (165 cm) corresponds to approximately the 68th percentile for US adult females. You are taller than about 68% of US women.

The median US woman is about 5'4" (162 cm). At the 68th percentile, 5'5" is above that midpoint. For women, "tall" often starts around the 80th percentile (roughly 5'6"), though heights like 5'5" are often described as above average or tall-ish.

What "Above or Below Average" Really Means

"Average" adult female height in the US is about 5'4", but average is not the same as typical range. Most women cluster within a few inches of the mean—roughly 5'2" to 5'6" covers a large share of the population (approximately the 16th to 84th percentiles).

At 5'5", a woman sits above that central cluster. Percentiles make the distinction clearer than subjective labels—being at the 68th percentile means taller than most US women, even if some reserve "tall" for heights of 5'6" and above.

Note that women's height distributions differ from men's—the average US woman (5'4") is about 5 inches shorter than the average US man (5'9"). Comparing a woman's height to other women, not men, is the correct reference frame.

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