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Ideal Weight Calculator

Find your ideal body weight by four formulas, your healthy weight range for your height, and ideal weight charts for women and men.

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  • Numbers stay in your browser

Last updated:

Your details

Sex

The formulas give men a higher weight at the same height.

Height
ft
in
lb

Shows how far you are from the healthy range, and your adjusted body weight.

The boxes start with example numbers. Change them to your own, then press Calculate.

Your ideal weight

Ideal body weight (IBW, Devine)
160.9 lb
73.0 kg at 5 ft 10 in

Your ideal body weight (Devine) is 160.9 lb. The healthy range for your height is 129 – 174 lb, and your weight of 180 lb is 6 lb above it.

  • Healthy weight range129 – 174 lb58 – 79 kg · BMI 18.5 to 24.9
  • Average of the 4 formulas159.4 lb72.3 kg
  • Adjusted body weight168.6 lb76.5 kg · IBW + 0.4 × (your weight − IBW)
  • Your weight vs the healthy range6 lb abovethe top of the range is 174 lb

Ideal weight by formula

FormulaIdeal weight (lb)Ideal weight (kg)
Devine (1974)160.9 lb73.0 kg
Robinson (1983)156.5 lb71.0 kg
Miller (1983)155.0 lb70.3 kg
Hamwi (1964)165.3 lb75.0 kg
Average of the four159.4 lb72.3 kg
Healthy BMI range129 – 174 lb58 – 79 kg

For a man 5 ft 10 in tall. Devine is the most widely used, so it is highlighted. The healthy range comes from BMI 18.5 to 24.9.

How the formulas work

Each formula starts from a base weight at 5 feet and adds kilograms for every inch of height over 5 feet.

Devine: men 50 + 2.3 × inches · women 45.5 + 2.3 × inches
Robinson: men 52 + 1.9 × inches · women 49 + 1.7 × inches
Miller: men 56.2 + 1.41 × inches · women 53.1 + 1.36 × inches
Hamwi: men 48 + 2.7 × inches · women 45.5 + 2.2 × inches

Weights in kg, inches over 60. In this example (Devine, man, 5 ft 10 in): 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73.0 kg, which is 160.9 lb.

Ideal weight chart for women

HeightIdeal (Devine)Healthy range
4 ft 10 in147 cm90.2 lb89 – 119 lb
5 ft 0 in152 cm100.3 lb95 – 127 lb
5 ft 2 in157 cm110.5 lb101 – 136 lb
5 ft 4 in163 cm120.6 lb108 – 145 lb
5 ft 6 in168 cm130.7 lb115 – 154 lb
5 ft 8 in173 cm140.9 lb122 – 164 lb
5 ft 10 in178 cm151.0 lb129 – 174 lb
6 ft 0 in183 cm161.2 lb136 – 184 lb
6 ft 2 in188 cm171.3 lb144 – 194 lb
6 ft 4 in193 cm181.4 lb152 – 205 lb

Healthy range: BMI 18.5 to 24.9. Rounded to the nearest pound or kilogram.

Ideal weight chart for men

HeightIdeal (Devine)Healthy range
4 ft 10 in147 cm100.1 lb89 – 119 lb
5 ft 0 in152 cm110.2 lb95 – 127 lb
5 ft 2 in157 cm120.4 lb101 – 136 lb
5 ft 4 in163 cm130.5 lb108 – 145 lb
5 ft 6 in168 cm140.7 lb115 – 154 lb
5 ft 8 in173 cm150.8 lb122 – 164 lb
5 ft 10 in178 cm160.9 lb129 – 174 lb
6 ft 0 in183 cm171.1 lb136 – 184 lb
6 ft 2 in188 cm181.2 lb144 – 194 lb
6 ft 4 in193 cm191.4 lb152 – 205 lb

Your height is highlighted. The healthy range is the same for women and men.

Ideal weight, healthy weight and average weight

Ideal body weight (IBW)

An estimate worked out from your height and sex. The formulas were first made to help doctors work out drug doses, not to judge how a person looks.

Healthy weight

The weights that give a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 at your height. It is a range, so it is usually the better guide.

Average weight

What typical people of your height weigh. It is not a target, and it can be higher than a healthy weight.

What is adjusted body weight?

Adjusted body weight is used in medicine for people who weigh well above their ideal weight. It counts part of the extra weight: IBW + 0.4 × (actual weight − IBW).

It is shown for information only. It is not for working out doses of medicine.

What is included

  • Ideal weight by four formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller, Hamwi)
  • The healthy weight range for your height (from BMI 18.5 to 24.9)
  • How far your weight is from the healthy range
  • Adjusted body weight
  • Ideal weight charts for women and men
  • US units and metric units

Important to know

The formulas ignore muscle, bone size and age, so athletes and very muscular people can weigh more than the result and still be healthy. They were made for adults 5 feet (152 cm) or taller. It is an estimate, not medical advice.

Use this free ideal weight calculator, also called an ideal body weight (IBW) calculator, to see how much you should weigh for your height. Enter your sex and height, in US or metric units, and you get your ideal weight by four well-known formulas (Devine, Robinson, Miller and Hamwi), their average and the healthy weight range from the BMI scale. Add your current weight to see how far you are from the healthy range and your adjusted body weight. Two charts list the ideal weight and healthy range for women and men at each height. It is free and instant, and your numbers stay in your browser.

What is ideal body weight?

Ideal body weight (IBW) is an estimate of a reasonable weight for an adult of average build, worked out from height and sex. There is no single perfect weight, but doctors and researchers have long used height-based formulas. They were created to help work out medicine doses, and they are still popular as a rough guide. This calculator shows four of them side by side, plus the healthy weight range from the BMI scale.

The four ideal weight formulas

Each formula adds a number of kilograms for every inch of height over 5 feet (60 inches):

  • Devine (1974): men 50 + 2.3 × inches, women 45.5 + 2.3 × inches.
  • Robinson (1983): men 52 + 1.9 × inches, women 49 + 1.7 × inches.
  • Miller (1983): men 56.2 + 1.41 × inches, women 53.1 + 1.36 × inches.
  • Hamwi (1964): men 48 + 2.7 × inches, women 45.5 + 2.2 × inches.
Example: a man who is 5 ft 10 in tall (10 inches over 5 feet)
Devine 73 kg · Robinson 71 kg · Miller 70.3 kg · Hamwi 75 kg
A woman who is 5 ft 5 in tall (5 inches over) gets 57 kg, 57.5 kg, 59.9 kg and 56.5 kg from the same four formulas.

The Devine formula is the most widely used, so the calculator shows it as your ideal body weight. The others give similar results, so there is no need to pick a favorite.

The healthy weight range

The healthy weight range is the weights that give a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9, which is the normal weight range for adults set by the World Health Organization. For a height of 177.8 cm (5 ft 10 in) that is about 129 to 174 lb (58 to 79 kg). A range is more useful than one number, because healthy weights differ from person to person.

Ideal weight by height for women and men

The two charts under the calculator list the Devine ideal weight and the healthy range for each height from 4 ft 10 in to 6 ft 4 in. A woman 5 ft 4 in tall has a Devine ideal weight of about 120.6 lb and a healthy range of 108 to 145 lb. A man of the same height has 130.5 lb and the same healthy range. The formulas give men more because, on average, men have more muscle and bone at the same height.

How ideal weight differs from average weight

  • Ideal body weight is a formula estimate from your height and sex.
  • Healthy weight is a range from the BMI scale. It is usually the better guide.
  • Average weight is what typical people of your height weigh. It is not a target, and it can be higher than a healthy weight.

Adjusted body weight

If you enter your current weight and it is above your ideal weight, the calculator also shows your adjusted body weight: IBW + 0.4 × (actual weight − IBW). Doctors use it for people who weigh well above their ideal weight. For a man with a Devine IBW of 73 kg who weighs 82 kg, it is 73 + 0.4 × 9 = 76.6 kg. It is shown for information only and is not for working out doses of medicine.

Limits of these formulas

  • They only use height and sex. They ignore muscle, bone size, age and body shape.
  • They were made for adults who are at least 5 feet (152 cm) tall, and are less reliable for shorter people and for children.
  • Athletes and very muscular people can weigh more than the result and still be healthy.

To see where your own weight falls, use the BMI Calculator. To look at body fat, try the Body Fat Calculator. To find out how many calories you need to reach a weight, use the Calorie Calculator.

Sources

The rules, rates and ranges on this page come from these sources. Always check the current figures with the organization itself before you rely on them.

View All Calculators

Frequently Asked Questions

What is my ideal weight?

It depends on your height and sex, and there is no single perfect number. For a man who is 5 ft 10 in tall the four formulas give 70.3 to 75 kg (155 to 165.3 lb), and for a woman who is 5 ft 5 in tall they give 56.5 to 59.9 kg. Enter your height to see yours.

What is ideal body weight (IBW)?

Ideal body weight is an estimate of a reasonable weight for an adult of average build, worked out from height and sex. The formulas were first made to help doctors work out drug doses, and they are still used as a rough guide.

Which ideal weight formula is best?

None is clearly best. The Devine formula is the most widely used, so the calculator shows it as your ideal body weight. The others give similar results, so the calculator shows all four and their average. Treat them as rough guides, not targets.

How do I calculate ideal body weight?

With the Devine formula, start from 50 kg for men or 45.5 kg for women, then add 2.3 kg for every inch of height over 5 feet. A man who is 5 ft 10 in tall has 50 + 2.3 × 10 = 73 kg, which is about 160.9 lb. The calculator does it for you.

What is a healthy weight for my height?

A weight that gives a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is considered the normal range for adults. At 5 ft 10 in (177.8 cm) that is about 129 to 174 lb (58 to 79 kg). The calculator shows the range for your own height.

What is the ideal weight for women and men by height?

The two charts under the calculator list it for each height from 4 ft 10 in to 6 ft 4 in. For example, at 5 ft 4 in the Devine ideal weight is about 120.6 lb for a woman and 130.5 lb for a man, and the healthy range is 108 to 145 lb for both.

What is adjusted body weight?

Adjusted body weight is used in medicine for people who weigh well above their ideal weight. It is the ideal weight plus 40% of the extra: IBW + 0.4 × (actual weight − IBW). For a man with an IBW of 73 kg who weighs 82 kg it is 76.6 kg. It is for information only, not for working out doses of medicine.

What is the difference between ideal, healthy and average weight?

Ideal weight is a formula estimate from height and sex. Healthy weight is the range that gives a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9. Average weight is what typical people of your height weigh, which is not a target and can be higher than a healthy weight.

Why are the formulas different for men and women?

On average men have more muscle and bone mass at the same height, so the formulas give men a higher weight for the same height.

Do the formulas work if I am shorter than 5 feet?

They were made for adults of 5 feet (152 cm) or more, so they are less reliable for shorter people. For heights under 5 feet the calculator shows only the healthy weight range, which is the better guide.

Can I weigh more than my ideal weight and still be healthy?

Yes. Athletes and very muscular people can weigh more than the result and still be healthy, because the formulas ignore muscle. For advice about your own weight, speak to a doctor.

Does age matter for ideal weight?

The formulas use only height and sex, so age does not change the result. Adults tend to lose muscle as they get older, so body fat can be higher at the same weight. Talk to a doctor about the right weight for you.

Can I use this calculator for children?

No. The formulas and the BMI range are for adults. For children and teens, weight is compared with growth charts for their age and sex, and a doctor or nurse should read the result.

Can I save, share or print my results?

Yes. After you press Calculate, use Copy link to get a link that opens the calculator with the same numbers, or Print for a clean printout. The numbers sit after the # in the link, a part of the address that browsers do not send to our server.

Are my numbers saved or shared?

No. The calculation happens in your browser, and the numbers you type are not stored or sent to any server.