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When do you stop growing? What the data shows

· 5 min read

Most people stop growing in their mid-to-late teens, but the exact age depends on sex and on when puberty starts. Average height data for 200 countries (NCD-RisC) shows the typical pattern clearly.

Steady growth, then a spurt

From age 5 until puberty, children grow about 5–6 cm (2 in) a year. Puberty then brings a growth spurt: across 200 countries, girls’ fastest growth year is typically between 10 and 11, and boys’ between 12 and 13 — around 6–7 cm in that year on average.

When girls stop growing

Girls reach adult height earlier. On average they are at 94% of adult height at 12 and 98% at 14. After 15, average growth falls below 1 cm a year, and most girls are within a centimetre or so of their final height by 16.

When boys stop growing

Boys start their spurt later and grow for longer. On average they are at 86% of adult height at 12, 94% at 14 and 98% at 16. Growth drops below 1 cm a year after about 17, with a little more possible until 18–19.

Why individuals differ

These are national averages, which smooth out individual growth spurts. Early developers grow sooner and stop sooner; late developers keep growing longer. Growth ends when the growth plates in the long bones close, which doctors can check on an X-ray of the hand if there is a medical reason.

Nutrition and health matter too: average adult height has risen by several centimetres in many countries since 1985 as childhood nutrition improved.

Estimate your own adult height

The height predictor combines your parents’ heights with your current height for your age to estimate your adult height and a likely range.

Average height by age →Growth chart for boys and girls aged 5–19 in 200 countries, with a child height check.

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