Average Teenager Height & Weight by Age

Q: What is the average height of a 13-year-old?

The average American 13-year-old boy is about 61.4 inches (156 cm); the average girl is about 61.8 inches (157 cm). Girls are often slightly taller than boys at this age because most have entered puberty earlier. The normal range stretches roughly from 56 to 67 inches for both sexes.

Tony Scotti

June 24, 2026

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Average Teenager Height & Weight by Age (Ages 13–19)

A practical reference for parents and teens tracking growth through the high school years — what CDC charts show as average, when final adult height arrives, and how to read the percentile in context.

What “Average” Means in the Teen Years

U.S. pediatricians use Centers for Disease Control (CDC) growth charts to track height, weight, and BMI through age 20. The 50th percentile is the median — half of teenagers are above it, half below. Anywhere between the 3rd and 97th percentile is statistically normal at any given age.

Variation between teens is wider than at any other age. Two healthy 14-year-old boys can stand 8 inches apart simply because one started puberty at 11 and the other at 13. By 18, that gap usually closes — but in the meantime, percentile snapshots are less useful than the growth trend over multiple visits.

Average Height by Age (50th Percentile)

Age	Boys	Girls
13 years	61.4 in (156.1 cm)	61.8 in (156.9 cm)
14 years	64.5 in (163.8 cm)	63.1 in (160.3 cm)
15 years	67.0 in (170.1 cm)	63.8 in (162.1 cm)
16 years	68.5 in (174.0 cm)	64.1 in (162.9 cm)
17 years	69.2 in (175.7 cm)	64.2 in (163.2 cm)
18 years	69.4 in (176.2 cm)	64.3 in (163.3 cm)
19 years	69.5 in (176.5 cm)	64.3 in (163.4 cm)

Average Weight by Age (50th Percentile)

Age	Boys	Girls
13 years	105 lb (47.7 kg)	111 lb (50.3 kg)
14 years	119 lb (53.9 kg)	121 lb (54.8 kg)
15 years	131 lb (59.4 kg)	128 lb (58.2 kg)
16 years	141 lb (64.0 kg)	133 lb (60.4 kg)
17 years	149 lb (67.5 kg)	136 lb (61.8 kg)
18 years	154 lb (70.1 kg)	138 lb (62.6 kg)
19 years	158 lb (71.5 kg)	139 lb (63.1 kg)

Parent takeaway: Teen averages mask huge individual variation. A 15-year-old boy might still be 4 inches into his puberty spurt while another the same age is already at his adult height. Both are normal — the timing differs, not the destination.

Teenager Height & Weight Percentile Calculator (Ages 13–19)

Enter measurements to see height and weight percentiles based on CDC growth reference data for U.S. teens ages 13 through 19.

Step 1 — Teen details

Sex

Units

Age

From 13 years through 19 years.

Step 2 — Measurements

Height

Measure barefoot, standing tall.

Weight

Without shoes or heavy clothing.

Estimated Percentiles for This Age

Height

50th

—

Weight

50th

—

Enter the values above and tap Calculate Percentiles.

How Growth Changes from 13 to 19

The teen years contain the last big growth phase of childhood. Boys and girls move through it on different schedules:

Ages 13 to 14. Many girls are at or just past their peak growth spurt (often 3 inches in a single year). Many boys are in the early-to-middle phase of theirs, gaining 2.5 to 4 inches per year.

Ages 14 to 16. Boys typically hit peak velocity (3.5 to 4 inches per year is common). Girls slow dramatically and most reach within an inch of their final adult height.

Ages 16 to 18. Boys gain another 1 to 3 inches across these two years, then slow. Girls are usually within half an inch of final adult height.

Ages 18 to 19. Most teens are at or within 1 inch of their final adult height. Growth plates begin closing in late teens — girls earlier, boys typically last to close around 18 to 20.

When Final Height Is Usually Reached

Final adult height is determined by growth plate fusion. Once the plates close, no further lengthening of long bones is possible.

Girls. Most reach final height within 2 years of their first menstrual period (menarche). For a girl whose period started at 12, final height is usually reached by 14 to 15. Later puberty pushes the timeline out — late bloomers may grow until 16 or 17.

Boys. Final height is typically reached at 17 to 18, with growth plates fully closing by 19 to 20. Some late-maturing boys add small amounts of height into their early twenties.

X-rays of the hand can determine bone age and predict how much growth remains. Pediatric endocrinologists use this when a teen wants a more specific projection of final adult height.

When Growth Concerns a Pediatrician

No signs of puberty by age 13 in girls or 14 in boys. Worth a clinical evaluation regardless of family history.

Growth velocity under 2 inches per year during what should be the puberty spurt. A slow spurt can signal hormonal issues that respond well to early treatment.

Crossing two or more percentile bands in either direction across visits.

Rapid unexplained weight loss or gain outside the typical teen patterns.

Predicted adult height well below mid-parental target even with bone age adjusted for late maturation.

Persistent symptoms like fatigue, changes in mood or school performance, irregular periods, or chronic digestive issues alongside growth concerns.

What Affects Teen Growth

Genetics. Mid-parental height is the strongest single predictor of final adult height for any healthy teen.

Puberty timing. Early maturers often look tall as preteens but reach a shorter final height. Late maturers may seem behind but often catch up to a normal final height.

Sleep. The largest pulses of growth hormone are released during deep slow-wave sleep, which mostly happens in the first half of the night. Teens need 8 to 10 hours; consistent bedtimes matter more than weekend catch-up.

Nutrition. Adequate calories, protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin D support growth. Teen athletes especially benefit from steady fueling rather than restrictive eating patterns.

Physical activity. Weight-bearing exercise supports bone density during the peak bone-building years (roughly 11 to 20). The CDC recommends at least 60 minutes per day.

Chronic conditions. Untreated celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid disorders, and chronic steroid use can all suppress growth during the teen years.

Tips for Healthy Growth in the Teen Years

Anchor sleep on the calendar. Same bedtime on school nights, consistent wake time on weekends. Teen circadian rhythms drift late naturally — fight the drift rather than feeding it.

Eat enough, consistently. Teens in their growth spurt often need more calories than active adults. Skipping meals during the spurt years can blunt growth potential.

Protect calcium and vitamin D. Peak bone mass is built during the teen years and locks in adult skeletal strength. Dairy, fortified foods, leafy greens, and moderate sun exposure all contribute.

Move daily, even briefly. Sixty minutes of activity supports bone, muscle, and hormonal balance — soccer, basketball, weight training, cycling, jump rope all count.

Watch the screens around bedtime. Late-night screen use is the single biggest preventable cause of teen sleep loss. A consistent screen-off window 30 to 60 minutes before bed protects the deep sleep that drives growth hormone release.

Skip the supplement spiral. Unless a pediatrician identifies an actual deficiency, balanced meals cover what a growing teen needs. Megadoses of vitamins do not produce extra height.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average height of a 13-year-old?

The average American 13-year-old boy is about 61.4 inches (5'1", or 156 cm); the average girl is about 61.8 inches (5'2", or 157 cm). Girls are often slightly taller than boys at this age because most have entered puberty earlier. The normal range stretches roughly from 56 to 67 inches for both sexes.

What is the average weight of a 16-year-old?

The average American 16-year-old boy weighs about 141 pounds (64 kg); the average girl weighs about 133 pounds (60 kg). The normal range is wide — roughly 100 to 200 pounds for boys and 95 to 180 pounds for girls — reflecting both genetic variation and where each teen sits in their puberty timeline.

At what age do boys stop growing taller?

Most American boys reach their final adult height between 17 and 18 years old. Growth plates in the long bones close fully around 19 to 20. Late maturers may continue adding small amounts of height into their early twenties, though most growth is complete by the end of high school.

At what age do girls stop growing taller?

Most American girls reach their final adult height between 14 and 16 years old, typically within 2 years of their first menstrual period (menarche). Girls who started puberty later may continue growing until 16 or 17, but adult height is generally reached well before the end of high school.

How can I tell if my teen will get taller?

Two main signals predict remaining growth: signs of puberty (early in puberty means more growth ahead) and bone age on a hand X-ray (younger bone age than chronological age means more growth potential). A pediatrician or pediatric endocrinologist can interpret these together with mid-parental height for a personalized projection.

References

CDC Growth Charts: Clinical Growth ChartsCenters for Disease Control and Preventioncdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm

CDC Growth Chart Data: Stature-for-age and Weight-for-age (Ages 2-20)National Center for Health Statisticscdc.gov/growthcharts/percentile_data_files.htm

Puberty: Adolescent Growth and DevelopmentAmerican Academy of Pediatrics — HealthyChildren.orghealthychildren.org/ages-stages/teen