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Child Height Percentile Calculator
Your child
This is an estimate based on CDC growth chart medians, for ages 2 to 18. It is a screening tool, not a diagnosis — if you are concerned about your child's growth, ask your pediatrician.
Example: a 5-year-old boy who is 43 in (109.2 cm) tall is at the 43rd percentile — taller than about 43 out of 100 boys his age.
Behind the numbers
How the percentile is calculated
The calculator compares your child's height with the CDC stature-for-age growth charts. It takes the median height for children of the same age and sex, works out how far your child's height sits from that median in standard deviations (the z-score), and converts the z-score to a percentile.
Worked example: a 5-year-old boy at 43 in = 109.2 cm. The CDC median for a 5-year-old boy is 110.0 cm, with a spread of about 4.5 cm, so z = (109.2 − 110.0) ÷ 4.5 = −0.17, which is the 43rd percentile. Medians are interpolated between whole years, and the spread is an approximation of the CDC distribution.
How to read the result
| Percentile | What it means |
|---|---|
| Below 5th | Shorter than 95 out of 100 peers — worth a check with your pediatrician |
| 5th to 25th | Lower than average, usually still healthy |
| 25th to 75th | Average range |
| 75th to 95th | Above average, usually still healthy |
| Above 95th | Taller than 95 out of 100 peers — worth a check if growth jumped suddenly |
A few comparisons
Example percentiles
| Child | Height | CDC median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-year-old boy | 43 in (109.2 cm) | 110.0 cm | 43rd |
| 10-year-old girl | 54 in (137.2 cm) | 137.9 cm | 45th |
| 8-year-old boy | 50 in (127.0 cm) | 127.3 cm | 48th |
| 12-year-old boy | 60 in (152.4 cm) | 149.1 cm | 69th |
| 6-year-old girl | 42 in (106.7 cm) | 115.1 cm | 5th |
Tracking growth, not chasing a number.
Measure height the same way each time — shoes off, back against a wall, head level — so changes over months are real, not measurement noise.
A child who follows their own percentile curve steadily is usually growing well, even if that curve sits at the 10th or the 90th percentile.
Growth spurts come at different ages, especially around puberty, so a percentile that dips for a year and then recovers is common.
If the percentile drops sharply across two or more checkups, or your child falls below the 5th percentile, bring the numbers to your pediatrician and ask about it.
Good to know
Your child height questions, answered.
What does a height percentile mean?
A height percentile compares your child with other children of the same age and sex on the CDC growth charts. A 43rd percentile, like the example on this page, means your child is taller than about 43 out of 100 children their age and sex, and shorter than about 57.
Is this calculator a medical diagnosis?
No. This is an estimate and a screening tool only, based on CDC growth chart medians. It cannot diagnose a growth problem. If you are concerned about your child's growth, ask your pediatrician, who can track measurements over time and check for underlying causes.
What percentile is considered normal?
Most healthy children fall between the 5th and 95th percentiles, and a child who follows their own steady curve over time is usually fine, even at the 10th or 90th percentile. A sudden drop or jump across percentile lines is more of a reason to talk to a doctor than any single number.
Why does the percentile change with age?
Children grow at different rates at different ages, and the CDC median height rises quickly in the early years and again during puberty. This calculator uses the CDC median and spread for your child's exact age, so the same height gives a different percentile at age 5 than at age 10.