No, 5'9" (175 cm) is generally considered average height for men in many Western countries, not short, though perceptions vary by gender, location, and personal preference; for men, it's close to the average, while for women, it's considered tall.
Men's height: many surveys of heterosexual preferences find women most often prefer men roughly 2--6 inches (5--15 cm) taller than themselves. In countries where average female height is ~5′4'' (163 cm), the modal ``desired'' male height often falls around 5′10''--6′0'' (178--183 cm).
“Short King” isn't just a meme — it's a movement. A shout-out to every man under 5'8” who carries himself with pride, confidence, and charm that towers over any height chart. These men don't measure worth in inches.
Height Preferences in Dating and Relationships
Even after everything, many studies still indicate that taller men tend to be found more attractive. The ideal height for a male is said to be between 5'9" to 6'0", though individual preferences are quite different.
Roughly 1% of US women are 6 feet tall or taller. The equivalent height cutoff for US men (only 1% of population taller) is about 6ʹ4″.
For a guy, 5'9" is generally considered around the average height in the U.S. and many Western countries, making it neither particularly tall nor short, though some people might perceive it as slightly below average due to the cultural preference for taller men, especially in dating.
In fact, only about 15% of guys in the U.S. are 6' or taller. If the average guy is 5' 9", "short" probably means 5' 6" or under. (And if you're under 18, you likely still haven't reached your max height—most guys keep growing until they hit adulthood.)
Ideal height for men
The average height for males is 5'8" or 177 cm.
The analysis revealed that taller individuals had shorter lifespans compared with their shorter peers (Table 1). In individuals who lived for at least 50 years, longevity was inversely correlated with adult height in men (r = –0.27, p < 0.001) and women (r = –0.25, p < 0.001).
Women tend to consider taller men with broader shoulders more attractive, masculine, dominant, and higher in fighting ability, according to recent research published in Evolutionary Psychological Science.
Approachability is attractive
Of course, men blessed with symmetrical features, chiseled jaws and great hair will always score higher in the attractiveness stakes, but several studies have shown that women tend to be more attracted to approachable, average looks when looking for a long-term partner.
According to the BMI calculator by the NHLBI , if the average U.S. man weighs 199.8 pounds and stands 5 feet 9 tall, then his BMI is 29.5.
Changes in Boys
They tend to grow most quickly between ages 12 and 15. The growth spurt of boys is, on average, about 2 years later than that of girls. By age 16, most boys have stopped growing, but their muscles will continue to develop.
You don't need to be tall to become a model. While most models are typically 5'9" to 6", you can still be signed with an agency even if you fall under this height range.
In this database, a 95th percentile male is 6 feet, 2 inches (188 cm) and 246 pounds (111.58 kg); a 5th percentile female is 4 feet, 11 inches (150 cm) and 113 pounds (51.26 kg). What these numbers tell us is that there is indeed a significant anthropometric difference between military and civilian databases.
Researchers studied data from a million people and found evidence that a height gene shared by both sexes is amplified in men. Men are taller than women, by an average of about five inches.