Am I done growing?
Probably not if you are under 14, and probably nearly if you are a girl over 15 or a boy over 17. On the CDC growth charts the median girl gains about 1.5 cm after her 15th birthday and the median boy about 6.9 cm. Enter your age below to see the typical growth left for your age and sex. This shows population averages, not a diagnosis: only a doctor can confirm that growth has stopped.
Your age
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Typical growth left
Enter your age and sex and press the button. Add your height to see where the same percentile line ends at age 20.
How much taller will I grow? Typical growth left by age
The table shows the median height at each birthday on the CDC 2000 growth charts and how far that median still rises by age 20. We calculated it directly from the CDC stature-for-age data.
| Age | Boys: median height | Boys: growth left to 20 | Girls: median height | Girls: growth left to 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 138.6 cm | 38.2 cm (15.1 in) | 138.0 cm | 25.3 cm (10.0 in) |
| 11 | 143.5 cm | 33.3 cm (13.1 in) | 144.0 cm | 19.4 cm (7.6 in) |
| 12 | 149.1 cm | 27.8 cm (10.9 in) | 151.2 cm | 12.1 cm (4.8 in) |
| 13 | 156.1 cm | 20.8 cm (8.2 in) | 157.2 cm | 6.2 cm (2.4 in) |
| 14 | 163.8 cm | 13.0 cm (5.1 in) | 160.4 cm | 2.9 cm (1.2 in) |
| 15 | 169.9 cm | 6.9 cm (2.7 in) | 161.9 cm | 1.5 cm (0.6 in) |
| 16 | 173.5 cm | 3.3 cm (1.3 in) | 162.5 cm | 0.8 cm (0.3 in) |
| 17 | 175.3 cm | 1.6 cm (0.6 in) | 162.9 cm | 0.4 cm (0.2 in) |
| 18 | 176.2 cm | 0.7 cm (0.3 in) | 163.1 cm | 0.2 cm (0.1 in) |
| 19 | 176.6 cm | 0.2 cm (0.1 in) | 163.3 cm | 0.1 cm (0.0 in) |
Median = the middle of the reference population. These curves come from measuring many different children once each, so they describe the typical pattern and smooth over individual growth spurts.
When do you stop growing?
In the CDC data the median curve for girls is almost flat after about 15 to 16, and for boys after about 17 to 18. Individuals differ by a few years either way, mostly because puberty starts at different ages. Someone who started puberty late usually keeps growing later; someone who started early usually finishes earlier. The year-by-year figures for each sex are on when do boys stop growing and when do girls stop growing.
Signs you may be nearly done
- Your height has changed by less than about 1 cm (under half an inch) over the past year, measured the same way at the same time of day.
- Puberty has been complete for a couple of years. For girls, growth usually slows sharply in the couple of years after the first period.
- Your shoe size has stopped changing. This is a common observation, not a test.
None of these is proof. Height stops increasing when the growth plates near the ends of the long bones close, and the only way to know that is an X-ray read by a doctor. That is rarely needed unless there is a medical question.
What this tool does and does not do
It compares your age with the CDC median curve, and, if you enter a height, follows your current percentile to age 20. It does not know when your puberty started, which is the single biggest reason two people of the same age have different amounts of growth left. For a prediction that uses your parents’ heights and your weight, use the height predictor; to see your current percentile on its own, use the height percentile calculator.
Common questions
- Am I done growing at 15?
- On the CDC charts the median 15-year-old boy still has about 6.9 cm to go and the median girl about 1.5 cm. Boys who are late developers can have a good deal more.
- Am I done growing at 16 or 17?
- Median growth left at 16 is about 3.3 cm for boys and 0.8 cm for girls; at 17 it is about 1.6 cm and 0.4 cm. Most girls are at or very near adult height by then; many boys are close.
- Can I still grow after 18 or 20?
- The reference curves are essentially flat by 20. A minority, mostly late-maturing men, gain a little in their early twenties.
- Can I do anything to grow taller?
- Adult height is largely set by genetics. Enough sleep, a balanced diet and good general health help you reach that potential; we are not aware of good evidence that supplements or exercises add height beyond it. Be wary of products that promise otherwise.
Data source: Kuczmarski RJ, et al. “2000 CDC Growth Charts for the United States: methods and development.” Vital and Health Statistics 11(246), 2002; stature-for-age LMS data file from cdc.gov/growthcharts.