Quick answer: To convert a height in feet and inches to centimetres, turn it all into inches (feet × 12, plus the inches) and multiply by 2.54. One foot is exactly 30.48 cm and one inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so 5 ft 9 in is 69 inches, or 175.26 cm. Use the converter below for other heights.
Most people in the UK still give their height in feet and inches, while the NHS, GP surgeries and most forms record it in centimetres or metres. This page is built for that one job: converting a person’s height both ways. It sits alongside the other tools in the length and distance conversions hub.
Height converter: feet and inches to cm
ft in= cmHeight converter: cm to feet and inches
cm=How do you convert feet and inches to cm?
Multiply the total number of inches by 2.54. Heights are given in two units at once, so the trick is to combine them before converting. Converting the feet and inches separately and adding them also works, as long as you use 30.48 for the feet and 2.54 for the inches.
The formula is: cm = ((feet × 12) + inches) × 2.54
Worked example for 5 ft 4 in: 5 × 12 = 60, plus 4 makes 64 inches. Then 64 × 2.54 = 162.56 cm, which rounds to 162.6 cm or 1.63 m. Both factors are exact, because the inch has been defined as exactly 25.4 mm since the international yard and pound agreement of 1959.
Height chart: feet and inches to centimetres
Each extra inch of height adds 2.54 cm. This chart covers adult heights from 4 ft 6 in to 6 ft 8 in, rounded to one decimal place in centimetres and two in metres.
| Height (ft and in) | Total inches | Centimetres | Metres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft 6 in | 54 in | 137.2 cm | 1.37 m |
| 4 ft 7 in | 55 in | 139.7 cm | 1.40 m |
| 4 ft 8 in | 56 in | 142.2 cm | 1.42 m |
| 4 ft 9 in | 57 in | 144.8 cm | 1.45 m |
| 4 ft 10 in | 58 in | 147.3 cm | 1.47 m |
| 4 ft 11 in | 59 in | 149.9 cm | 1.50 m |
| 5 ft 0 in | 60 in | 152.4 cm | 1.52 m |
| 5 ft 1 in | 61 in | 154.9 cm | 1.55 m |
| 5 ft 2 in | 62 in | 157.5 cm | 1.57 m |
| 5 ft 3 in | 63 in | 160.0 cm | 1.60 m |
| 5 ft 4 in | 64 in | 162.6 cm | 1.63 m |
| 5 ft 5 in | 65 in | 165.1 cm | 1.65 m |
| 5 ft 6 in | 66 in | 167.6 cm | 1.68 m |
| 5 ft 7 in | 67 in | 170.2 cm | 1.70 m |
| 5 ft 8 in | 68 in | 172.7 cm | 1.73 m |
| 5 ft 9 in | 69 in | 175.3 cm | 1.75 m |
| 5 ft 10 in | 70 in | 177.8 cm | 1.78 m |
| 5 ft 11 in | 71 in | 180.3 cm | 1.80 m |
| 6 ft 0 in | 72 in | 182.9 cm | 1.83 m |
| 6 ft 1 in | 73 in | 185.4 cm | 1.85 m |
| 6 ft 2 in | 74 in | 188.0 cm | 1.88 m |
| 6 ft 3 in | 75 in | 190.5 cm | 1.91 m |
| 6 ft 4 in | 76 in | 193.0 cm | 1.93 m |
| 6 ft 5 in | 77 in | 195.6 cm | 1.96 m |
| 6 ft 6 in | 78 in | 198.1 cm | 1.98 m |
| 6 ft 7 in | 79 in | 200.7 cm | 2.01 m |
| 6 ft 8 in | 80 in | 203.2 cm | 2.03 m |
How do you convert cm to feet and inches?
Divide by 2.54 to get inches, then divide by 12: the whole number is feet and the remainder is inches. For 180 cm: 180 ÷ 2.54 = 70.87 inches. Twelve goes into 70 five times (60 inches), leaving 10.87 inches, so 180 cm is 5 ft 10.9 in, or roughly 5 ft 11 in.
| Centimetres | Total inches | Feet and inches | Nearest inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 145 cm | 57.1 in | 4 ft 9.1 in | 4 ft 9 in |
| 150 cm | 59.1 in | 4 ft 11.1 in | 4 ft 11 in |
| 155 cm | 61.0 in | 5 ft 1.0 in | 5 ft 1 in |
| 160 cm | 63.0 in | 5 ft 3.0 in | 5 ft 3 in |
| 165 cm | 65.0 in | 5 ft 5.0 in | 5 ft 5 in |
| 170 cm | 66.9 in | 5 ft 6.9 in | 5 ft 7 in |
| 175 cm | 68.9 in | 5 ft 8.9 in | 5 ft 9 in |
| 180 cm | 70.9 in | 5 ft 10.9 in | 5 ft 11 in |
| 185 cm | 72.8 in | 6 ft 0.8 in | 6 ft 1 in |
| 190 cm | 74.8 in | 6 ft 2.8 in | 6 ft 3 in |
| 195 cm | 76.8 in | 6 ft 4.8 in | 6 ft 5 in |
| 200 cm | 78.7 in | 6 ft 6.7 in | 6 ft 7 in |
| 205 cm | 80.7 in | 6 ft 8.7 in | 6 ft 9 in |
For lengths that are not heights, such as timber, fabric or room sizes, the general feet to cm converter and cm to feet converter give decimal feet instead of feet-and-inches.
What is the average height in the UK in cm?
In England, the average measured height in 2019 was 175.5 cm for men and 161.7 cm for women. Those figures come from the Health Survey for England, published by NHS England (formerly NHS Digital). In feet and inches, 175.5 cm is about 5 ft 9 in and 161.7 cm is about 5 ft 3.7 in, just under 5 ft 4 in.
The survey’s 2021 figures were based on adjusted self-reported heights rather than direct measurement (175.9 cm and 162.4 cm), so the 2019 measured values are the better comparison for a height you have measured yourself.
Where are feet and inches still used for height in the UK?
- Everyday conversation. People still describe themselves as “five foot ten” far more often than “178 centimetres”.
- Health checks. NHS tools work in metric but often show imperial alongside; the NHS BMI guidance, for example, describes 1.70 m as around 5 foot 7 inches.
- Children’s growth. Height is plotted in centimetres on the UK-WHO growth charts in the personal child health record (the red book), so parents often need to convert.
- Sport and uniforms. Clubs, kit suppliers and some job applications ask for height in either unit, so it helps to know both.
How do you measure your height accurately at home?
Stand against a wall without shoes, rest a flat object on your head and measure from the floor to the mark. Keep heels, bottom and shoulders touching the wall and look straight ahead. A hardback book or a set square held level against the wall gives a cleaner mark than a hand. Measure in the morning if you can, because people are usually slightly taller after a night’s sleep. If you are unsure how to read the small divisions on your tape, the guide to reading a tape measure covers both metric and imperial scales.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is 5 ft 8 in in cm?
5 ft 8 in is 68 inches, and 68 × 2.54 = 172.72 cm, so it is about 172.7 cm or 1.73 m.
What is 170 cm in feet and inches?
170 cm is 66.93 inches, which is 5 ft 6.9 in. Most people would round it to 5 ft 7 in.
How many cm is 6 foot?
Six feet is exactly 182.88 cm, usually rounded to 182.9 cm or 1.83 m.
Is 5 ft 9 in tall in the UK?
5 ft 9 in (175.3 cm) is almost exactly the average measured height for men in England in 2019, which was 175.5 cm. For women it is well above the average of 161.7 cm.
Should I round my height up or down when converting?
Round to the nearest whole centimetre or nearest inch. For medical forms, give the unrounded measurement if the form allows a decimal.
Sources
- NHS England: Health Survey for England 2021, part 4 trends (mean adult height)
- NHS: Calculate your body mass index
- National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the UK’s national measurement institute
- RCPCH: UK-WHO growth charts