Baby Height & Length Chart by Month — Birth to 36 Months
CDC growth chart data showing average length/height and all percentiles for boys and girls, in cm and inches
Length by Month — Birth to 36 Months (Infant)
Recumbent length (measured lying down) in cm at each percentile. 50th percentile = average. The right-most column shows the average in inches. Rows with links go to detailed percentile pages for that age.
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Height by Age — 2 to 20 Years (Child & Adolescent)
Standing height (stature) from the CDC growth reference. Note: standing height is typically 0.7–1 cm shorter than recumbent length at the same age. Values in cm with average in inches.
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Get Your Child's Exact Height Percentile
Enter your child's height and age for a personalized percentile score with interpretation.
Calculate Height Percentile →How to Read This Height Chart
This chart shows height (or length for infants) percentiles from the CDC growth reference data. Each column represents a percentile — the percentage of children shorter than that value at the same age.
- 50th percentile = average height. Half of children are taller, half are shorter.
- 25th percentile = 25% of children are shorter. Still perfectly normal.
- 90th percentile = taller than 90% of same-age children. Also normal.
- 3rd–97th = the full normal range. Being anywhere in this range is healthy.
Length vs Height — What's the Difference?
For children under 2, measurements are taken lying down (recumbent length). At age 2, pediatricians switch to measuring standing height. Standing height is typically 0.7–1 cm shorter than recumbent length, so you may see a small apparent decrease at the transition. Our charts and calculators account for this automatically.
How Fast Do Babies Grow?
Growth rate changes dramatically throughout childhood:
- 0–3 months: About 2.5–3.5 cm (1–1.4 in) per month — the fastest period
- 3–6 months: About 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1 in) per month
- 6–12 months: About 1–1.5 cm (0.4–0.6 in) per month
- 1–2 years: About 10–12 cm (4–5 in) per year
- 2–5 years: About 6–7 cm (2.5–3 in) per year
Use our growth velocity calculator to measure your child's actual growth rate between visits.
Predicting Adult Height
Infant length doesn't strongly predict adult height — too many genes and environmental factors come into play later. A rough rule says height at age 2 is about half of adult height. For a better estimate, use our height predictor which factors in both parents' heights using the Khamis-Roche method.
When to Talk to Your Pediatrician
Consult your pediatrician if:
- Length/height is consistently below the 3rd percentile
- Growth has plateaued or dropped across two major percentile lines
- Height and weight percentiles are very different (e.g., 5th for height but 90th for weight)
- Your child is growing less than 4 cm per year after age 2
Learn more in our when to worry about growth guide.
Related Charts & Calculators
Frequently Asked Questions
Baby length varies by age and sex. At birth, the average boy measures about 49.9 cm (19.6 in) and the average girl about 49.3 cm (19.4 in). By 6 months, averages are 67.6 cm (26.6 in) for boys and 65.7 cm (25.9 in) for girls. By 12 months, averages reach 75.7 cm (29.8 in) for boys and 74 cm (29.1 in) for girls.
Length is measured lying down (recumbent) for children under 2 years. Height is measured standing up for children 2 years and older. Standing height is typically about 0.7–1 cm shorter than recumbent length, so you may see a small apparent decrease when switching at age 2. Learn more about proper measurement in our how to measure guide.
Babies grow fastest in the first 3 months, gaining about 2.5–3.5 cm (1–1.4 in) per month. Growth slows to about 1.5–2.5 cm per month from 3–6 months, then about 1–1.5 cm per month from 6–12 months. After the first year, children grow about 6–7 cm (2.5–3 in) per year until puberty. Use our growth velocity calculator to track your baby's rate.
Growth charts show current measurements, not predictions. For adult height estimates, try our height predictor which uses the Khamis-Roche method and factors in both parents' heights. A rough rule: height at age 2 is approximately half of adult height.
Any height between the 3rd and 97th percentile is considered normal. Short stature (below the 3rd percentile) may warrant evaluation, but many short children are perfectly healthy — they may simply have shorter parents. Concerns arise when height crosses percentile lines significantly. Check our when to worry guide.
Disclaimer: Data from the CDC Growth Charts. These are population reference values, not targets. Every child grows at their own pace. This is not medical advice — always consult your pediatrician with specific concerns about your child's growth.