Height prediction
How Tall Will a 12-Year-Old Boy Be?
By the Taller team · Updated · 4 min read · How we write
A boy of average height at 12 (5'0" (152 cm)) is on track to be about 5'9.5" (177 cm) as an adult. Find your current height in the chart below to see your own projection: it assumes you keep the same percentile on the CDC growth charts until you stop growing.
At 12, puberty is underway for many boys and the growth spurt often begins. Boys who haven’t started yet are not behind: the normal range for starting puberty is wide.
Predicted adult height for 12-year-old boys
Heights measured around 12½. “Likely range” reflects how much puberty timing usually changes the outcome at this age.
| Height at 12 | Percentile | Predicted adult height | Likely range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'7" (140 cm) | 5th | 5'5" (165 cm) | 5'1.5" – 5'8" |
| 4'8" (142 cm) | 9th | 5'6" (167 cm) | 5'2.5" – 5'9" |
| 4'9" (145 cm) | 16th | 5'7" (170 cm) | 5'3.5" – 5'10" |
| 4'10" (147 cm) | 25th | 5'8" (172 cm) | 5'4.5" – 5'11" |
| 4'11" (150 cm) | 37th | 5'8.5" (174 cm) | 5'5.5" – 6'0" |
| 5'0" (152 cm) | 50th | 5'9.5" (177 cm) | 5'6.5" – 6'1" |
| 5'1" (155 cm) | 63rd | 5'10.5" (179 cm) | 5'7.5" – 6'2" |
| 5'2" (157 cm) | 75th | 5'11.5" (182 cm) | 5'8" – 6'2.5" |
| 5'3" (160 cm) | 84th | 6'0.5" (184 cm) | 5'9" – 6'3.5" |
| 5'4" (163 cm) | 90th | 6'1.5" (186 cm) | 5'10" – 6'4.5" |
| 5'5" (165 cm) | 95th | 6'2" (188 cm) | 5'11" – 6'5.5" |
Get a personal prediction
Your parents’ heights matter as much as your current height. Add them below for a prediction that combines both.
Why the prediction can be off
- Puberty timing. A boy who starts puberty early looks tall for 12 but usually stops growing sooner. A late bloomer looks short now and keeps growing longer. See late bloomers and growth spurts.
- Genetics. Children tend to end up near their parents’ mid-parental target height.
- Health and habits. Sleep, nutrition and general health help a boy reach the height his genes allow, but don’t raise the ceiling. See how to grow taller at 12.
Only a bone-age X-ray read by a doctor can narrow the estimate much further. Median adult height in the US is 5'9.5" for men and 5'4.5" for women on the same charts.
Frequently asked questions
If I’m 4'10" at 12, how tall will I be?
A boy who is 4'10" at 12 is around the 25th percentile. If he stays on that growth curve, his adult height would be about 5'8" (172 cm), most likely between 5'4.5" and 5'11". Early or late puberty and the parents’ heights can move this.
If I’m 5'0" at 12, how tall will I be?
A boy who is 5'0" at 12 is around the 50th percentile. If he stays on that growth curve, his adult height would be about 5'9.5" (177 cm), most likely between 5'6.5" and 6'1". Early or late puberty and the parents’ heights can move this.
If I’m 5'2" at 12, how tall will I be?
A boy who is 5'2" at 12 is around the 75th percentile. If he stays on that growth curve, his adult height would be about 5'11.5" (182 cm), most likely between 5'8" and 6'2.5". Early or late puberty and the parents’ heights can move this.
How accurate are these predictions?
They assume a boy keeps the same percentile until adulthood, which is a reasonable average but not a rule. Around this age puberty timing is the biggest unknown: early bloomers often end up shorter than their projection and late bloomers taller. Adding both parents’ heights in the calculator improves the estimate.
Sources
- Clinical Growth Charts (2000 CDC stature-for-age) — CDC / National Center for Health Statistics
- Data Table of Stature-for-age Charts (LMS parameters) — CDC
- Puberty — Nemours KidsHealth
Predictions for other ages (boys)
Keep reading
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. Growth is very individual: if you are worried about your height, growth or puberty, talk to a doctor or a pediatric endocrinologist.