Height Converter Guide: Feet to Centimeters Chart & Conversion Formula (2026)

The Conversion Formulas

Height conversion between the imperial system (feet and inches) and the metric system (centimeters) comes down to one exact constant: 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters. This is a defined relationship, not an approximation.

Feet and Inches to Centimeters

Step 1: Convert feet to total inches. Multiply feet by 12.
Step 2: Add any remaining inches.
Step 3: Multiply the total inches by 2.54.

Formula: cm = (feet × 12 + inches) × 2.54

Centimeters to Feet and Inches

Step 1: Divide centimeters by 2.54 to get total inches.
Step 2: Divide total inches by 12. The whole number is feet.
Step 3:The remainder (decimal × 12) gives remaining inches.

Formula: total inches = cm ÷ 2.54, then feet = floor(total inches ÷ 12), inches = total inches mod 12

Example: 175 cm ÷ 2.54 = 68.90 inches. 68.90 ÷ 12 = 5 feet with 8.90 inches remaining — so 175 cm = 5 ft 8.9 in, commonly rounded to 5 ft 9 in.

Quick Reference: Common Heights in Feet/Inches and Centimeters

These are the heights people search for most often. Use this table as a fast lookup without doing any math.

Complete Height Reference Chart (4 ft to 7 ft)

The full chart below covers every inch from 4 ft 0 in through 7 ft 0 in. Useful for medical records, sports profiles, and clothing size conversions.

Average Height Statistics by Country

Height varies significantly across populations. Understanding averages puts individual height in context and helps when comparing size charts across countries.

United States

According to the CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the average height for adult men in the US is 175.3 cm (5 ft 9 in) and for adult women is 162.1 cm (5 ft 4 in). These are measured heights from a nationally representative sample of adults aged 20 and over.

Global Averages

The NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a network of researchers working with the World Health Organization, published a landmark 2016 analysis in eLife tracking height trends across 200 countries from 1914 to 2014. Key findings:

• The tallest average male heights are found in the Netherlands (182.5 cm / 5 ft 11.9 in), Montenegro, and Denmark.
• The tallest average female heights are in Latvia (170.0 cm / 5 ft 7 in), Netherlands, and Estonia.
• Global average male height is approximately 171 cm (5 ft 7.3 in); global average female height is approximately 159 cm (5 ft 2.6 in).
• Over the 20th century, average heights increased by up to 11 cm in some populations, driven by improved nutrition and reduced childhood illness.

Why Height Measurement Systems Differ

The United States, Myanmar, and Liberia are the only countries that still use feet and inches as the primary unit for measuring height. Every other country uses centimeters as part of the International System of Units (SI), which most nations officially adopted during the 20th century.

In the US, height in feet and inches is deeply embedded in everyday life — driver’s licenses, door frames, furniture, sporting contexts, and casual conversation. But in medical and research contexts even within the US, centimeters are often preferred because metric calculations are simpler and less error-prone.

A 2010 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that unit conversion errors in medical settings were a documented source of clinical mistakes, underscoring why consistent use of centimeters in healthcare matters.

Medical Uses of Height Measurement

Accurate height matters beyond everyday curiosity. Here are the main clinical contexts where precise height — in centimeters — is required:

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²). A person who is 175 cm (1.75 m) and weighs 75 kg has a BMI of 75 ÷ (1.75)² = 24.5. Height must be in metric for this formula. Our BMI calculator handles the unit conversion automatically.

Pediatric Growth Charts

The CDC and WHO growth charts plot children’s heights against age-based percentiles. These charts use centimeters. A child measured in feet and inches must be converted before plotting a growth percentile. The WHO multicentre growth reference study, conducted across six countries and published in 2006, established the international standard for child growth norms.

Medication Dosing

Many drug doses, particularly for chemotherapy, anesthesia, and pediatric medications, are based on body surface area (BSA). BSA formulas (such as the Mosteller formula) require height in centimeters. An incorrect unit can produce a meaningfully wrong dose.

Lung Function Testing

Spirometry reference values for FEV1 and FVC (measures of lung capacity) are calculated using height in centimeters, age, and sex. Pulmonologists input height directly into prediction equations validated with cm as the unit.

Related Conversions

Height is often needed alongside other body measurements. Here are the most common companion conversions:

• Weight: Convert between pounds and kilograms. 1 lb = 0.4536 kg. Our weight converter handles this instantly.
• Body measurements: Chest, waist, and hip measurements for clothing use inches (US) or centimeters (international). 1 inch = 2.54 cm applies here too.
• BMI calculation: Requires height in meters and weight in kilograms. 175 cm = 1.75 m. See our BMI calculator.
• Running pace and distance: Stride length is often estimated from height. Taller runners tend to have longer strides. See our pace calculator for running metrics.

Quick Mental Math Shortcuts

You don’t always need a calculator. These shortcuts let you estimate height conversions fast:

• Rough cm to feet: Divide centimeters by 30. 180 cm ÷ 30 = 6 ft. (Actual: 5.91 ft, so this overestimates slightly.)
• Rough feet to cm: Multiply feet by 30. 6 ft × 30 = 180 cm. (Actual: 182.88 cm, close enough for quick estimates.)
• Exact for inches: Multiply inches by 2.5, then add 1% more. 70 in × 2.5 = 175; add 1% (1.75) = 176.75. Exact value: 177.8 cm. Good enough for most purposes.
• 5 ft rule: 5 ft = 152.4 cm. Every additional inch adds 2.54 cm. So 5 ft 7 in = 152.4 + (7 × 2.54) = 152.4 + 17.78 = 170.18 cm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you convert feet and inches to centimeters?

Multiply total inches by 2.54. First convert feet to inches (1 foot = 12 inches), then add any remaining inches, then multiply by 2.54. For example, 5 ft 9 in = (5 × 12 + 9) × 2.54 = 69 × 2.54 = 175.26 cm. Our free height converter does this instantly.

What is the average height for men and women in the US?

According to the CDC NHANES survey, the average height for adult men in the United States is 5 ft 9 in (175.3 cm) and for adult women is 5 ft 4 in (162.1 cm). These figures are based on measured — not self-reported — heights from a nationally representative sample.

Why does the US use feet and inches instead of centimeters?

The US retained the imperial system when most countries adopted the metric system in the 20th century. Only the United States, Myanmar, and Liberia still use feet and inches as primary height units. Every other country — and all international medical and scientific contexts — uses centimeters.

How many centimeters is 6 feet?

6 feet equals exactly 182.88 cm. The calculation: 6 × 12 = 72 inches, then 72 × 2.54 = 182.88 cm. Rounded, this is often cited as 183 cm. At 6 feet, a man would be above the 90th percentile for height in the United States.

Is height used in medical calculations?

Yes. Height is a required input for BMI, pediatric growth percentile charts, ideal body weight for medication dosing, and lung function tests (spirometry). Clinicians worldwide use centimeters for these calculations, so accurate conversion from feet and inches is clinically important.

What is 170 cm in feet and inches?

170 cm equals 5 ft 6.93 in, typically rounded to 5 ft 7 in. The calculation: 170 ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 inches, then 66.93 ÷ 12 = 5 feet with 6.93 inches remaining. 170 cm is slightly above the global average height for women and slightly below the average for men.