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Height Calculator

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Predict a child's likely adult height range from both parents' heights, using the widely used mid-parental height method.

Height Calculator

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Predicted adult height
5'9.5"
Likely range
5'7.5" - 5'11.5"
This statistical estimate has a margin of error of several inches - genetics, nutrition, and health all influence actual adult height.

The formula

Boy: Predicted height = (Father's height + Mother's height + 5in) / 2 Girl: Predicted height = (Father's height + Mother's height - 5in) / 2
Example

A father at 5'10" (70in) and mother at 5'4" (64in), predicting a son: (70 + 64 + 5) / 2 = 69.5in, or 5'9.5", with a likely range of roughly 5'7.5" to 5'11.5".

Step-by-step guide

  1. Enter both parents' heights in feet and inches.
  2. Select the child's sex - the formula adjusts differently for boys and girls, reflecting typical average height differences between sexes.
  3. Read the predicted height and likely range.

Why this is a range, not a guarantee

Height is influenced by many genes plus environmental factors like nutrition and overall health during childhood, so this mid-parental method - while a reasonably useful statistical starting point - typically has a margin of error of a few inches in either direction. It works reasonably well as a population-level average, but any individual child can end up meaningfully taller or shorter than the point prediction, which is exactly why the range matters more than the single number.

Common mistakes

Treating the single predicted number as a guarantee rather than a statistical estimate - the range is the more honest and useful takeaway.
Using this for medical concerns about a child's growth - a pediatrician tracking growth curves over time gives far more reliable, individualized insight than this general genetic estimate.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is the mid-parental height method?

It's a reasonable population-level estimate, but individual results commonly land a few inches above or below the predicted number - the range given here reflects that typical margin, though some children fall outside it in either direction.

Why does the formula add or subtract 5 inches based on sex?

It adjusts for the typical average height difference between adult men and women, so a predicted son's height skews slightly taller and a predicted daughter's height skews slightly shorter from the same parental average.

Should I be concerned if my child seems to be tracking outside this range?

Not necessarily on its own - many healthy children fall outside this rough genetic estimate. A pediatrician tracking your child's individual growth chart over time is a far more reliable way to assess whether growth is on a healthy track.

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