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Height Calculator (Predicted Adult Height)

Health

Estimate a child's predicted adult height from both parents' heights using the mid-parental height method. An educational estimate, not a growth diagnosis.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated July 25, 2026

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Predicted Adult Height

162
Typical Range (Low)
153.5
Typical Range (High)
170.5

This calculator computes your Predicted Adult Height, Typical Range (Low), Typical Range (High) from the values you enter.

Inputs
Mother's HeightFather's HeightChild's Sex
Outputs
Predicted Adult HeightTypical Range (Low)Typical Range (High)

What is a Predicted Height?

The Height Calculator estimates a child's predicted adult height using the mid-parental height method, a widely cited formula that averages both parents' heights, adjusts for the child's sex, and provides a typical estimated range.

For related growth reference tools, see the Height Percentile Calculator and BMI Percentile Calculator.

Why Use a Height Calculator?

Parents are often curious about how tall their child might grow up to be, and the mid-parental height method offers a simple, widely referenced way to estimate this from information already known, both parents' heights. This calculator applies that formula instantly.

Who Should Use This Calculator?

  • Parents curious about their child's likely adult height range.
  • Pediatric nursing and medical students learning the mid-parental height method.
  • Anyone researching how genetics contributes to height prediction.
  • Families discussing growth patterns and genetics together.

What Insights Does the Height Calculator Give You?

The Predicted Adult Height is the headline estimate, based on both parents' heights and the child's sex. The Typical Range (Low) and Typical Range (High) figures show the commonly cited ±8.5 cm spread around that estimate, reflecting the natural variability in this type of prediction.

How to use this Predicted Height calculator

  1. Enter the mother's height in centimetres.
  2. Enter the father's height in centimetres.
  3. Select the child's sex.
  4. Read the Predicted Adult Height and Typical Range instantly.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

Boys: Predicted Height = (Mother's Height + Father's Height + 13) ÷ 2

Girls: Predicted Height = (Mother's Height + Father's Height − 13) ÷ 2

Typical Range = Predicted Height ± 8.5 cm

Worked example, a boy with a mother 162 cm tall and a father 175 cm tall:

Predicted Height = (162 + 175 + 13) ÷ 2 = 175 cm

Typical Range = 175 ± 8.5 = 166.5 cm to 183.5 cm

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate is predicted adult height from parents' heights?
The mid-parental height method is a widely cited estimate that generally predicts within a range of about ±8.5 cm for most children, since height is strongly influenced by genetics but also affected by nutrition, health, and other factors during growth.
What is the mid-parental height method?
It's a simple formula that averages both parents' heights, adjusts for the child's sex (adding roughly 13 cm for boys or subtracting roughly 13 cm for girls to account for typical sex-based height differences), and divides by two.
Why does the formula add or subtract 13 cm based on sex?
This adjustment accounts for the typical average height difference between adult men and women, ensuring the mid-parental estimate reflects a realistic target for the child's own sex rather than just averaging the parents directly.
Can this calculator predict height for children of any age?
This formula estimates an adult height target regardless of the child's current age, since it's based entirely on parental heights and sex, not on the child's own current growth measurements.
Is genetics the only factor in adult height?
No, while genetics play a major role in height, factors like childhood nutrition, overall health, and growth conditions during childhood and adolescence also meaningfully influence final adult height.
What is considered the 'typical range' shown in the results?
The typical range (±8.5 cm from the predicted height) reflects the general spread seen around the mid-parental height estimate in most children, though individual results can still fall outside this range.
Should I be concerned if my child's growth doesn't match this prediction?
This is a statistical estimate, not a guarantee, many healthy children's adult height falls outside the calculated range. If you have specific growth concerns, a pediatrician can evaluate your child's individual growth trajectory using clinical growth charts.
How does this relate to the Height Percentile Calculator?
The [Height Percentile Calculator](/height-percentile-calculator/) compares an adult height against the general population, while this calculator predicts a future adult height for a child based on parental heights, the two serve different purposes.
What units does this calculator use?
This calculator uses centimetres for both parent heights and the predicted result; if you have measurements in feet and inches, convert to centimetres first for accurate results.
Does birth order or sibling height affect this prediction?
No, this formula is based entirely on both parents' heights and the child's own sex, and doesn't factor in sibling heights or birth order, which aren't part of the standard mid-parental height method.
Also known as
mid parental height calculatorpredicted adult height calculatorhow tall will my child bechild height prediction