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Average head circumference

In a large US survey, adult men averaged 57.4 cm around the head and women 56.1 cm. Newborns start near 34 cm. Here is the full picture.

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Average adult head circumference

These figures come from ANSUR II, a 2012 survey that measured more than 6,000 US Army personnel with the tape pressed firmly over the hair. The general population varies a little more, but the averages are similar.

  • Men: 57.4 cm (22.6 in) on average. Nine in ten men measure between 54.8 and 60.1 cm.
  • Women: 56.1 cm (22.1 in) on average. Nine in ten women measure between 53.2 and 59.7 cm.

Average head circumference for babies and children

  • Birth: 34.5 cm for boys, 33.9 cm for girls (WHO median).
  • 6 months: 43.3 cm for boys, 42.2 cm for girls.
  • 12 months: 46.1 cm for boys, 44.9 cm for girls.
  • 24 months: 48.3 cm for boys, 47.2 cm for girls.
  • 36 months: 49.7 cm for boys, 48.6 cm for girls (CDC median).

Average head size and hat size

An average man’s 57.4 cm head is a fitted 7 ¼, and an average woman’s 56.1 cm head is a 7. Most men wear 7 ⅛ to 7 ⅜: about 7 in 10 fall between 7 and 7 ⅜, and only about 4% measure 7 ⅝ or larger.

How to measure your head

  1. 1 Use a soft tape measure, or a string and a ruler.
  2. 2 Wrap it around your head where the hat will sit: about 1 cm (⅜ in) above your ears and across the middle of your forehead.
  3. 3 Keep the tape level and snug, not tight. Do not pull it in.
  4. 4 Read the number where the tape overlaps. Measure two or three times and use the largest value.
  5. 5 Type the number into the calculator, or find it in the chart.
How to measure

Frequently asked questions

What is the average head circumference for a man?

About 57.4 cm (22.6 in), based on the ANSUR II survey of US Army personnel.

What is the average head circumference for a woman?

About 56.1 cm (22.1 in) in the same survey.

What is the average head circumference of a newborn?

About 34.5 cm for boys and 33.9 cm for girls at birth (WHO median).

Is my head bigger than average?

If you measure over about 60 cm as a man or 59.7 cm as a woman, your head is larger than 95 out of 100 adults in the survey.

Related charts

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