Enter your child's age, sex, and height to find out where they stand on the CDC growth chart. This Child Height Percentile Calculator compares your child's stature to other children of the same age and sex, returning their height percentile and Z-score based on CDC 2000 growth chart data for ages 2–20 years.
Height Percentile
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Z-Score
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Height (cm)
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Interpretation
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The height percentile tells you what percentage of children of the same age and sex are shorter than your child. For example, a 65th percentile means your child is taller than 65% of peers and shorter than the remaining 35%. A percentile of 50% represents the average height.
Any percentile between the 5th and 95th is generally considered within the normal range by the CDC. Values below the 3rd percentile may indicate short stature, while values above the 97th percentile may indicate tall stature. Always consult a pediatrician for clinical interpretation.
A Z-score (also called a standard deviation score) measures how many standard deviations a child's height is above or below the mean for their age and sex. At the extremes of the growth chart (above the 97th or below the 3rd percentile), Z-scores provide more precision than percentiles for tracking significant deviations.
This calculator is based on the CDC Growth Charts released in 2000, which are recommended for assessing size and growth in U.S. children and adolescents aged 2–20 years. The CDC charts use LMS parameters (Lambda, Mu, Sigma) to define the distribution of heights at each age.
A height below the 5th percentile may warrant further evaluation by a healthcare provider, but it does not necessarily indicate a medical problem. Factors such as genetics, nutrition, and growth velocity over time are all important. A single measurement is less informative than a trend over multiple visits.
No. The CDC growth charts used here apply to children ages 2–20 years. For infants and toddlers under 2 years, the WHO Growth Standards are recommended instead, as they better reflect growth patterns in that age group.
Height percentile gives a snapshot of where your child stands compared to peers today, but it does not definitively predict adult height. Adult height depends on genetics, nutrition, health, and the timing of puberty. A mid-parental height calculation provides a rough estimate of adult height potential.
Boys and girls have different growth patterns, especially during puberty. The CDC maintains separate growth charts for males and females to account for these differences. Using the correct sex ensures an accurate comparison to the appropriate reference population.