Average Dutchman just as tall as in 2001

The average adult Dutchman has the same height as in 2001. The increase in height of Dutchwomen has also slowed down.

Longer and longer, but for how long?

The average height of people in most European countries has increased in the course of time. More recently, adult Dutchmen have grown over 3 cm in the period 1981–2000. The upward trend was discontinued after 2000. In 2006, the average height of Dutch males was almost 1.81 metres.

Average height adult Dutch men and women

Increase average height women also slowing down

The increase in height among women also slowed down in recent years, whereas over the period 1981–2000, the average Dutch female grew 2 cm. In 2006, adult women in the Netherlands stood nearly 1.68 metres tall.

The recent slow-down is neither the result of the increase in older people, nor of the increase in the number of people with a non-western background.

Average resident of Groningen stands taller than his Limburg counterpart 2
The long-standing difference in height between ‘tall’ people in the north of the Netherlands and ‘small’ people in the south of the country still existed in 2006. The difference in height between the three northern and the two southern provinces was 2.1 cm for men and 2.4 cm for women. Age differences between the various parts of the country are hardly relevant.

Average height adult males by part of the country, 2003/2006

Highly educated and well-to-do people on average more than 5 cm longer

Highly educated people are on average 5 cm taller than persons whose highest level of education is primary school. This is partly due to the fact that highly educated people are generally younger. If this is taken into account, the difference in height between people with a high and people with a low level of education is reduced by half. People in the highest income bracket are on average about 2 cm taller than people in the lowest income bracket.

Average height adults by level of education, 2001/2006