Average Height in Canada: Men, Women & Tall Thresholds

Average male height in Canada: 178 cm (5’10”) · Average female height in Canada: 165 cm (5’5″) · Global male height ranking (Canada): 27th · Common tall threshold for men in Canada: 183 cm (6’0″) · Common tall threshold for women in Canada: 170 cm (5’7″)

The data from multiple sources confirms Canada’s height averages across age groups.

How tall is actually tall in Canada?

• Tall for men in Canada is usually around 183 cm (6’0″) or above (World Population Review).
• Tall for women in Canada is typically 170 cm (5’7″) or above (Disabled World).
• Perceptions of tallness vary by age group and region.

If you’re a man at 183 cm, you’re taller than roughly 80% of Canadian men. For women, reaching 170 cm pushes you past about 85% of the population. But those numbers are just averages—someone in Quebec might perceive tall differently than someone in Alberta, partly because of ethnic diversity and generational shifts.

The catch: there’s no single government-issued “tall” threshold. Statistics Canada doesn’t publish official percentile curves, so most data come from health surveys and international aggregators. That means perceptions can drift from reality—especially when global benchmarks like the Netherlands’ 184 cm male average set a mental bar most Canadians don’t need to match.

What height is considered tall for men in Canada?

• 183 cm (6’0″) is the most commonly cited threshold (World Population Review).
• 190 cm (6’3″) is within the top 5%.

The implication: if you’re 183 cm, you’re definitely above average but not unusually tall. At 190 cm, you’ll almost always be the tallest person in the room.

What height is considered tall for women in Canada?

• 170 cm (5’7″) is the typical threshold (Disabled World).
• 178 cm (5’10”) is very tall, around the 95th percentile.

What this means: a Canadian woman at 170 cm is about 5 cm taller than average—noticeable but not exceptional. At 178 cm, she’s in the tallest 5% of women in the country.

Is 5’10” tall for a guy in Canada?

• Average male height in Canada is 178 cm (5’10”) (World Population Review).
• 5’10” is exactly average, not considered tall.
• Being 5’10” means you are at the median for Canadian men.

If you’re a guy standing 5’10”, you’re right in the middle of the pack. That’s not a bad thing—it means you match the typical Canadian man perfectly. But it also means you won’t be described as “tall” in most social settings. The perception starts shifting above 6’0″.

The trade-off: average height is often seen as “normal” and carries no stigma or advantage. In a country where 6’0″ is the tall threshold, being 5’10” keeps you invisible in the height hierarchy—neither towering nor short.

Is 5’7″ tall for a girl in Canada?

• Average female height in Canada is 165 cm (5’5″) (World Population Review).
• 5’7″ is above average and often considered tall for a woman in Canada.
• Approximately 2 inches taller than the female average.

For a Canadian woman, 5’7″ (170 cm) sits 5 cm above the mean. That’s enough to be noticeably taller than many peers, especially in social contexts like online dating or group photos. In fact, 5’7″ is the typical threshold where women start being described as “tall” by others.

Why this matters: because the average woman in Canada is 5’5″, a 5’7″ woman will stand out in most mixed-height groups. That can be a confidence boost or a source of self-consciousness—but the data says she’s in the top 15% of the female population.

Is 6’3″ tall in Canada?

• 6’3″ (190.5 cm) is well above the Canadian male average (World Population Review).
• Men of this height are in the top 5% of the population.
• Considered very tall in Canada.

If you’re 6’3″, you’re over 12 cm taller than the average Canadian man. That places you firmly in the “very tall” category—someone who will often be the tallest in a room, even among taller peer groups. At this height, you’re taller than roughly 95% of Canadian men.

Is 5’9″ tall for a guy?

• 5’9″ is below the Canadian male average of 5’10” (Disabled World).
• Considered slightly short or average depending on region.
• Comparable to average height in some other countries.

At 5’9″, you’re about 2.5 cm below the Canadian male mean. That makes you “average” in the sense that you’re only a little short of the median—but in a country where 5’10” is the norm, you may feel slightly below average. Regionally, this perception varies: in cities with many recent immigrants from taller regions, you might feel shorter; in other communities, it’s unremarkable.

The pattern: 5’9″ is often the height where men start asking “Is this short?” The honest answer is that it’s on the lower side of average but hardly unusual. About 30% of Canadian men are shorter than 5’9″.

Five countries, one pattern: Canadian men (178.75 cm) sit remarkably close to Swiss men (178.73 cm) and French men (178.00 cm), while both sexes trail behind Dutch and Montenegrin averages by several centimetres.

The implication: Canada ranks 7th globally for male height—top 10 but well behind the tallest European nations. Dutch men average a full 5 cm taller. For Canadian women, the story is similar: they’re taller than most Asian and Latin American peers but shorter than Nordic women.

Canadians are getting taller, but not as fast as people in many other countries. The average Canadian man is about 5’10” now—that’s 7 cm more than a century ago.

CBC News

Canada’s male height of 178.75 cm places it just below the top tier of European nations, tied with Switzerland and Austria.

World Population Review

For Canadian men and women, the message is clear: you’re taller than your parents likely were, but you’re not keeping pace with the world’s tallest populations. That’s not a failing—it’s a reflection of genetics, nutrition, and health systems that have already pushed averages high. The question “am I tall?” will always depend on who you’re standing next to. But the numbers give you a solid answer: if you’re a man over 183 cm or a woman over 170 cm, you’re genuinely tall in Canada. If you’re below those thresholds, you’re still part of the majority. And in a country that ranks 7th globally, that’s a pretty good place to be.