Is a 9 Inch Height Difference Between Couples Too Big?

As we close in on double digits, it’s clear that a 9 inch height difference between two people is very sizable indeed.

But depending on who the nine inch height difference exists between, the height gap will look more or less large. Let me explain.

A 9 inch difference in height between a man and a woman is more common than a 9 inch height difference between two males.

As such, a male-female couple with a nine inch height difference is less striking than a man who towers 9 inches over this male friend.

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Is a 9 inch height difference between couples too big?

A man and a woman holding a tape measure

While it’s true that the average woman is only about 5 inches shorter than the average man, I definitely wouldn’t say that a 9 inch height difference between couples is too big.

In fact, in some people’s eyes, a 9-inch height difference between couples could actually be seen as ideal. Why?

Because both a male-taller and female-shorter norm exist in nature. Therefore, some people like it when these natural differences are exaggerated because they view the nine inch height difference as a complementary feature of the pairing.

On the other hand, some women might be a bit concerned about being 9 inches shorter than their boyfriend or husband. But most of the time, this worry stems from how they as a couple will look to other people.

In other words, if nobody was watching, she wouldn’t have a problem with the nine inch difference in height.

Obviously, it’s not a good idea to base your relationships on the opinions of other people.

While height does have a lot of biological significance, the ideal height difference varies by culture and couple, so don’t let a nine inch height difference be a deal-breaker!

What does a 9 inch height difference look like?

A short woman standing next to a tall man

As I’m fond of saying, a nine inch height difference looks different depending on who the difference exists between. That’s a tongue-twister.

Alright, so, a nine inch height difference is more striking and dramatic when it exists between two men or two women.

This is simply because it’s rare to see a woman who’s 9 inches taller than another woman.

The same holds true for men but to a lesser extent because men have the biological capacity to achieve much taller heights than women on average.

Of course, in some situations, a 9 inch difference in height is actually expected, such as when a parent is standing next to their child.

So, as always, context is crucial for determining what any given height difference actually looks like.

Is a nine inch height difference common?

Between men and women? I wouldn’t say it’s very common, but there are plenty of happy couples who have a 9 inch height difference (or an even larger height gap!).

As mentioned, a nine inch height difference is much less common between two women because it’s quite rare for a woman to be extremely tall or extremely short, which she would have to be in order to be 9 inches shorter or taller than another female.

Obviously, just because a 9 inch difference in height isn’t that common doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing. Far from it.

As I said, a nine inch difference in height is actually a very good thing in many people’s eyes because it creates a complementary appearance whereby the man, in accordance with nature, looks substantially bigger than the woman.

Can you reduce a 9 inch difference in height?

Sure, you can, but not by any significant amount.

Honestly, you can reduce a 9 inch height difference by 1-2 inches through strategic footwear choices and posture improvements, but is it really worth the hassle?

The taller person would need to wear shoes with virtually no heel all of the time, which they might not want to do.

And the short person would have to wear shoes with a thicker heel (or high heels) which, again, they might not want to do.

The only way to really close a big height gap is to have one person stand on an elevated surface.

An example of this is when you’re standing on or walking down a slope. The person on the higher part of the slope will usually look way taller than the person on the lower part of it.

Obviously, it would be ludicrous to live your life this way, but it proves the point; it’s very hard to close a 9 inch height gap, so you may as well just accept it as it currently exists.

Related: Can you grow 9 inches taller?

Conclusion: Is 9 inches a big height difference?

While 9 inches is undeniably a large measurement, this doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong about a 9 inch height difference when it exists between two people.

Remember, some people think that a 9 inch difference in height looks great, ideal even, whereas others would prefer a smaller height difference between themselves and their partner or friends.

And, of course, there are far more important things for a couple than just height. So don’t let your stature control your relationship decisions based on what you think other people will think!