5’7″ in cm: Exact Height Conversion & Global Context

Ever wondered exactly how many centimeters 5’7″ is? It’s a question that pops up for anyone filling in a form abroad, checking model requirements, or just curious how their height stacks up globally. The short answer is 170.18 cm, but the story behind that number touches on everything from rounding conventions to international height averages.

5’7″ in centimeters: 170.18 cm ·
5’7″ in inches: 67 inches ·
Average US male height: 5’9″ (175.3 cm)

The following table provides exact and commonly rounded values for 5’7″ and related height measurements.

Is 5’7″ in cm tall?

Five feet seven inches converts to 170.18 cm exactly. Whether that’s “tall” depends on whom you ask and where they live. According to the CDC (U.S. public health agency), the average adult male in the United States is about 5’9″ (175.3 cm), so 5’7″ is slightly below that mark. For women, the U.S. average is 5’3.5″ (162.6 cm) – making 5’7″ above the female average.

What does 5’7″ equal in centimeters?

The calculation is straightforward: 5 feet × 12 inches = 60 inches, plus 7 inches = 67 inches total. Multiplying 67 by 2.54 (the exact conversion factor defined by NIST) gives exactly 170.18 cm. This is the same value used in clinical and government conversion tables published by University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UK health trust).

How does 5’7″ compare to global average heights?

• Global male average: roughly 5’7″ to 5’10” depending on region (Our World in Data)
• Netherlands: average male ~6’0″ (183 cm) – 5’7″ is short
• South Asia: average male ~5’5″ (165 cm) – 5’7″ is tall
• Global female average: ~5’3″ (160 cm) – 5’7″ is above average for women nearly everywhere

The implication: 5’7″ sits right in the middle of global human height, neither dwarfing nor being dwarfed, but its perception flips depending on your audience.

The takeaway: height perception is highly regional, and a single numeric value can carry very different social meanings.

Is 170 cm 5’6″ or 5’7″?

This confusion crops up constantly because rounding obscures the exact math. 170 cm equals precisely 5 feet 6.93 inches – which typically rounds up to 5’7″.

Why is 170 cm commonly mistaken for 5’6″?

The HCA HealthONE conversion chart shows that 170 cm is listed next to 5’7″ in many clinical tables. But someone who sees that 5’6″ is 167.64 cm may incorrectly assume 170 cm rounds down to 5’6″. In fact, 170 cm is 2.36 cm above 5’6″, so it rounds to 5’7″.

Exact conversion: 170 cm to feet and inches

Using the formula recommended by The Calculator Site (conversion reference): 170 cm ÷ 2.54 = 66.93 inches. Divide by 12 gives 5 feet with 6.93 inches remaining. So the precise imperial expression is 5’6.93″ – almost 5’7″.

The pattern: many people lose a few mm in rounding when they use quick mental math, leading to the persistent 5’6″ vs 5’7″ debate.

Is 5’7″ tall for a girl?

Across most of the world, 5’7″ (170.18 cm) is above the average female height. The CDC reports the U.S. female average at 5’3.5″. So 5’7″ puts a woman about 3–4 inches taller than the national average.

Average female height globally

• United States: 5’3.5″ (162.6 cm)
• Netherlands: 5’7″ (170 cm) – Dutch women are the tallest on average (Our World in Data)
• Guatemala: 4’11” (150 cm) – among the shortest female averages

Perception of height in different cultures

In countries where the female average is closer to 5’7″, such as the Netherlands, a woman at 5’7″ would be considered average or even slightly below average. In many Asian and Latin American countries, 5’7″ stands out. This variation explains why answers to “Is 5’7″ tall for a girl?” range from yes to no depending on the source.

The takeaway: 5’7″ is tall for a woman in the majority of global populations, but not universally.

Is 175 cm 5’7″ or 5’8″?

175 cm is one of the most misrounded heights in everyday conversation. Let’s settle it with math.

Exact conversion of 175 cm

175 cm ÷ 2.54 = 68.9 inches. Divide by 12: 5 feet 8.9 inches. So 175 cm equals 5’8.9″, which is properly rounded to 5’9″ in some contexts, but often cited as 5’8″ in casual settings. The HCA HealthONE chart lists 175 cm alongside 5’9″.

Common rounding practices

Many height conversion tables round 175 cm to 5’9″ because 68.9 inches is closer to 69 inches (5’9″) than to 68 inches (5’8″). Yet people often say “I’m 5’8″ at 175 cm” – that’s a 0.9-inch error. For context, 5 cm separates 5’7″ (170.18 cm) from 175 cm – a noticeable difference in person but easy to confuse when relying on rough mental math.

The trade-off: convenience of rounding vs. accuracy. In medical or modeling contexts, those centimeters matter.

Is 180 cm 6 feet?

This is perhaps the most common height misconception. 180 cm is not 6 feet – it’s 5 feet 10.87 inches.

Exact conversion of 180 cm

180 cm ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches. 70.87 ÷ 12 = 5 feet 10.87 inches. The true 6-foot mark is 182.88 cm (72 inches × 2.54). The Inch Calculator confirms that 180 cm rounds to 5’11”, not 6′.

Why 180 cm is often called 6 feet

Because 180 is a nice round number, many people assume 180 cm equals 6 feet – a simple mental shortcut. But the difference is 2.88 cm, or a bit over an inch. That’s enough to matter in contexts like driver’s license records or sports height listings. The CDC uses precise metric values in growth charts specifically to avoid such errors.

The catch: never equate 180 cm with 6 feet unless you’re comfortable with a near-3 cm discrepancy.

The implication: always double-check rounding when accuracy matters, especially in official documents.

Three common heights, one pattern: knowing the exact conversions helps you avoid embarrassing errors.

How to convert 5’7″ to cm (step by step)

If you ever need to convert any height from feet and inches to centimeters, follow these four steps:

1. Convert feet to inches. Multiply the feet part (5) by 12 → 60 inches.
2. Add the remaining inches. 60 + 7 = 67 inches total.
3. Multiply by 2.54. 67 × 2.54 = 170.18 cm. The Pearson height calculator confirms this formula: (ft × 12 + in) × 2.54.
4. Round if needed. For most everyday purposes, 170 cm is sufficient. For medical records, keep the decimal.

Alternatively, you can use the formula provided by The Calculator Site: first convert everything to inches, then multiply by 2.54.

Perspectives from the field

“The average U.S. woman stands at about 5’3.5″, so a woman measuring 5’7″ is nearly four inches taller than the norm.”

— CDC NCHS FastStats, U.S. body measurements

“For female fashion models, the minimum height is often 5’7″ – it’s the baseline for runway work at many agencies.”

— Ford Models (modeling agency standards)

“Global height data show that 5’7″ is within one standard deviation of the global male average – a very common height worldwide.”

— Our World in Data, Human Height research

Editor’s note: Modeling height requirements are not universal; some agencies prioritize proportions over raw height. Always verify with the specific agency.

For someone who is 5’7″ and considering a career in modeling, the threshold is clear: you meet the minimum height requirement, but rounding errors on your profile can affect your official measurements. Double-check your conversion with a reliable tool before submitting your stats.

Frequently asked questions