If you’re curious about what the average 12 year old height is for boys and girls, then this guide will give you the exact facts and statistics that you’re looking for.
In addition to outlining the average 12 yr old height for both genders, we’ll also be exploring a range of specific heights—ranging from tiny to really tall—to see just how tall (or how short) they are for a twelve year old child.
See More Height Guides:
- Average height (male)
- What’s the average height for a girl?
- What is the average height for a 11 year old?
- What is the average height for a 13 year old?
- What is the average height for a 14 year old?
- What is the average height for a 15 year old?
- What is the average height for a 16 year old?
- What is the average height for a 17 year old?
- What is the average height for an 18 year old?
- What is the average height for a 19 year old?
What is the average height for a 12 year old boy?
What is the average height for a 12 year old boy? According to US height measurement data, the average height of a 12 year old boy in feet is 5 feet 1 inch tall.
At age 12, boys are not typically any taller than their female peers. Indeed, based on the data that we examined, 12 year old boys are actually 0.2 inches smaller than the average 12 year old girl (since the measurements are so close to 5ft 1in, we rounded them up).
This height equality is likely because girls usually start puberty a bit earlier than boys. [1]
Of course, since boys start puberty at different ages, it’s definitely possible for a 12 year old male to be taller or shorter than 5 foot 1 inch while still being perfectly healthy and on track for his ideal physical development.
What is the average height for a 12 year old girl?
What is the average height for a 12 year old girl? According to anthropometric research, the average height for a 12 year old female in feet is 5 feet 1 inch.
Between the ages of 11 and 12, the average girl will experience a growth spurt of roughly 2 inches, which is exactly the same as that experienced by boys of the same age.
Typically, this growth spurt lasts until age 14, at which point most girls stop getting taller.
Girls who are under the average 12 year old female height may have started puberty later than their peers or may simply not have the genetics to grow tall—not everyone does.
See Also: How to grow taller at 12 years old
What is considered tall for a 12 year old?
What is considered tall for a 12 year old? For a 12 year old boy, a height of 5 feet 4 inches would definitely be considered tall because such a height would mean that the child is taller than around 85% of their peers (and already as tall as a fully grown adult woman).
Similarly, for 12 year old girls, a height of 5ft 2.5in would be considered tall because such a height would put the girl in the 85th height percentile for her age group, meaning that she’d be taller than around 85% of her peers.
What height is considered short for a 12 year old?
What height is considered short for a 12 year old? For a 12 year old male, a height of 4 feet 9 inches would be considered short because, at this height, a 12 year old boy would be shorter than approximately 75% of his peers.
It’s important to remember, though, that the vast majority of boys will experience significant height growth after the age of twelve. As such, it’s vital for both boys and girls to consume a nutritious diet during puberty, one that contains adequate macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (zinc, calcium, etc.). [2]
As for what is considered short for a 12 year old female, a height of 4 feet 9 inches would also mean that a twelve year old girl is likely to be shorter than 70-75% of her peers.
How tall should a 12 year old be?
How tall should a 12 year old be? Statistically speaking, most 12 year olds boys and girls should be around 5 feet 1 inch tall. But since children commonly begin puberty at different ages, it’s perfectly normal for a 12 year old male or female to be a good few inches shorter or taller than the average 12 year old height.
Next, we’re going to explore various heights to see how common they are for 12 year old boys and girls.
Is 4’5 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’5 short for a 12 year old? Yes, 4’5 is very short for a 12 year old. According to the research, such a height would mean that a child is under the 5th percentile. In other words, at least 95% of their peers would be taller than them.
Is 4’6 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’6 short for a 12 year old? Yes, again, 4’6 is really short for a 12-year-old boy or girl and could be an indication that they’re experiencing delayed puberty.
Is 4’7 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’7 short for a 12 year old? Although 4’7 is definitely still short for a 12 year old girl or boy, there are still some twelve year old males and females who are only 4’7. It’s very likely that these individuals haven’t experienced rapid pubertal development yet.
Is 4’8 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’8 short for a 12 year old? Yes, based on the statistics, a height of 4’8 is small for a 12 year old because it’s around 5 inches smaller than the average height for 12 year olds, which, as previously noted, is 5’1.
Is 4’9 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’9 short for a 12 year old? Yes, while not incredibly short, 4’9 is definitely still on the small side for 12 year old children—both boys and girls.
Specifically, a height of 4’9 for a twelve year old boy would put him in the 15th percentile, meaning that around 85% of boys his age would be taller than him.
The same is true for twelve-year-old girls, except this time, the equivalent height would put her in the 10th percentile, meaning that approximately 90% of girls her age would exceed her in stature.
Is 4’10 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’10 short for a 12 year old? Yes, 4’10 would generally be considered quite short for both 12-year-old boys and 12-year-old girls. This is because such a height is a full 3 inches below the average (but a boy who’s experiencing a rapid growth spurt can easily grow 3 inches during a year of puberty)
Is 4’11 short for a 12 year old?
Is 4’11 short for a 12 year old or not? Yes, a height of 4’11, while not exactly uncommon for a twelve year old, is still on the short side for 12 year old girls and boys by around 2 inches.
Specifically, a 12 year old female who is 4’11 would be roughly in the 30th percentile, which means that she’d still be taller than around 30% of her peers.
Is 5 feet short for a 12 year old?
Is 5 feet short for a 12 year old? Although 5 feet is statistically an inch smaller than average for a 12 year old, it would be inaccurate to classify this height as short. In truth, a 12 year old girl or boy who is 5 feet tall is of a perfectly normal height and is likely developing at a good rate.
Is 5’1 short for a 12 year old?
Is 5’1 short for a 12 year old? Since 5’1 is the precise average height for a 12 year old boy—and also the average height of a 12 year old girl—such a measurement is not short and is, in fact, completely normal and to be expected for a child who is twelve years old.
Is 5’2 short for a 12 year old?
Is 5’2 short for a 12 year old? No, definitely not. If anything, a height of 5’2 is on the taller side of normal for both 12 year old girls and boys. There are, after all, a fair few adult women who are five feet 2 inches tall.
Is 5’3 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’3 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, most people would say that a height of 5’3 is fairly tall for a 12 year old male or female. Indeed, while not extremely tall, 5 foot 3 is a couple of inches above the average 12 yr old height.
Is 5’4 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’4 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, absolutely. Considering that most fully grown women are around 5 feet 4 inches tall, a height of 5’4 would mean that a 12 year old boy or girl is noticeably taller than their peers—and perhaps a few of their teachers, too.
Is 5’5 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’5 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, without any doubt, 5 feet 5 inches is well above the 12 year old average height for both males and females.
Statistically—based on the data that we examined—a height of 5’5 for a twelve year old female would put the girl beyond the 90th percentile, which means that she’d tower above 90% of her peers.
Is 5’6 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’6 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, 5’6 is really tall for a 12 year old and is a strong sign that a child is going to be pretty tall as an adult.
If a 12 year old boy is 5’6, then he’s likely to be taller than roughly 90% of boys his age.
Is 5’7 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’7 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, 5’7 is very tall for a 12 year old boy and exceptionally tall for a 12 year old girl. If someone is this tall at age 12, then it’s highly likely that they’ll look considerably older than they actually are.
Is 5’8 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’8 tall for a 12 year old? A height of 5’8 is a massive 7 inches taller than the average height for a 12 year old male (the same is true for females of the same age). Indeed, it’s actually quite rare to see a 12 year old who has achieved such an impressive stature at their young age.
Of course, this isn’t to say that any 12 year old—or any other person, for that matter—should feel bad about being shorter than average. After all, there are many more important things in life than your height.
Still, at age 12, many children are naturally self-conscious about their height and their physical appearance in general. [3]
Is 5’9 tall for a 12 year old?
Is 5’9 tall for a 12 year old? Yes, 5’9 is extremely tall for a 12 year old. At this colossal stature, a 12-year-old will be taller than around half of their male teachers. This height is also the most common for an adult man, so you can really see why 5 foot 9 is exceptionally tall for a twelve year old.
Who is the tallest 12 year old in the world?
Who is the tallest 12 year old in the world? The tallest 12 year old girl in the world is British girl Sophie Hollins. Although older than twelve now, Sophie measured a towering 6 feet 2 inches—taller than her parents—at the still-developing age of 12. [4]
The tallest 12 year old boy in the world ever recorded is Gabriel Gomes, who reportedly measured a staggering 7 feet 5 inches—considerably taller than a typical basketball player.
The verdict: How tall is the average 12 year old in America?
So, what is the average height for a 12 year old boy and girl? To recap, the average height of a 12 year old female and male is five foot 1 inch tall. That’s right; the measurement is the exact same (rounded up to the nearest inch) for both boys and girls.
This is because boys don’t start to grow to their full height until around age 16 or 17, whereas girls typically start puberty earlier than boys and also stop growing earlier, usually at around age 14.
References
- Anzilotti, W. (2022, May). Understanding Puberty. Nemours Children’s Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/understanding-puberty.html
- Soliman, A. T., Alaaraj, N., Noor Hamed, Alyafei, F., Ahmed, S., Shaat, M., Itani, M., Elalaily, R., & Soliman, N. (2022). Review Nutritional interventions during adolescence and their possible effects. Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis, 93(1), e2022087. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93i1.12789
- 12-Year-Old Child Development Milestones. (2022, March 23). Verywell Family. Retrieved from https://www.verywellfamily.com/12-year-old-developmental-milestones-4171917
- Sophie is crowned the tallest girl in the world after reaching 6ft 2in at the age of 12. (n.d.). MSN. Retrieved from https://www.msn.com/en-in/health/wellness/sophie-is-crowned-the-tallest-girl-in-the-world-after-reaching-6ft-2in-at-the-age-of-12/ar-AAy5NKv#image=AAmV3ul|2