Facts · 5 min read

Average
shoe size

Measured, not guessed: the foot lengths of 6,068 adults turned into sizes, how many people wear each size, children by age, and how big and small brands go.

The short answer

The average man’s foot is 27.1 cm long: a US men’s 10.5 (UK 9.5, EU 43). The average woman’s is 24.6 cm: a US women’s 9 (UK 6.5, EU 39). Half of men wear US 9.5–11.5 and half of women US 8–9.5.

US men’s: the middle man’s size (UK 9.5, EU 43)
10.5
US women’s: the middle woman’s size (UK 6.5, EU 39)
9
adults measured (US Army, 2010–2012)
6,068

Average men’s shoe size

The middle man in the survey has a 27.1 cm foot (the mean, 27.1 cm, gives the same size): a US men’s 10.5, UK 9.5, EU 43. Sizes 10–10½ are the most common, worn by 27% of men; half of men wear US 9.5–11.5, and nine in ten US 8–13.

  1. 4–4½<1%
  2. 5–5½<1%
  3. 6–6½1%
  4. 7–7½4%
  5. 8–8½13%
  6. 9–9½19%
  7. 10–10½27% middle
  8. 11–11½19%
  9. 12–12½12%
  10. 13–13½4%
  11. 14–14½1%
  12. 15–15½<1%
  13. 16–16½<1%
Share of 4,082 men by US men’s size, each whole size with its half; the middle man is in the highlighted size.
Men: the foot at each point of the range and its size
Of menFootUSUKEU
5% shorter25.0 cm8739.5
25% shorter26.3 cm9.58.541.5
Middle27.1 cm10.59.543
25% longer28.0 cm11.510.544
5% longer29.3 cm131246
Every half size: how many wear it, and how many wear a smaller one
Men by US men’s size (UK and EU for the same feet)
USUKEUPeopleWear itSmaller
4334.51under 1%0%
54361under 1%under 1%
5.54.536.55under 1%under 1%
653712under 1%under 1%
6.55.53818under 1%under 1%
7638.5571%under 1%
7.56.539882%2%
8739.52436%4%
8.57.540.52807%10%
98413067%17%
9.58.541.545311%25%
10942.551313%36%
10.59.54360515%48%
111043.543111%63%
11.510.5443479%74%
1211452967%82%
12.511.545.52065%90%
1312461022%95%
13.512.547662%97%
141347.526under 1%99%
14.513.54816under 1%over 99%
151448.57under 1%over 99%
15.514.549.51under 1%over 99%
1615501under 1%over 99%
16.515.550.51under 1%over 99%

Average women’s shoe size

The middle woman in the survey has a 24.6 cm foot (the mean, 24.6 cm, gives the same size): a US women’s 9, UK 6.5, EU 39. Sizes 9–9½ are the most common, worn by 27% of women; half of women wear US 8–9.5, and nine in ten US 6.5–11.5.

  1. 3–3½<1%
  2. 4–4½<1%
  3. 5–5½1%
  4. 6–6½6%
  5. 7–7½17%
  6. 8–8½24%
  7. 9–9½27% middle
  8. 10–10½15%
  9. 11–11½7%
  10. 12–12½3%
  11. 13–13½<1%
Share of 1,986 women by US women’s size, each whole size with its half; the middle woman is in the highlighted size.
Women: the foot at each point of the range and its size
Of womenFootUSUKEU
5% shorter22.6 cm6.5436
25% shorter23.8 cm85.538
Middle24.6 cm96.539
25% longer25.4 cm9.5740.5
5% longer26.8 cm11.5942.5
Every half size: how many wear it, and how many wear a smaller one
Women by US women’s size (UK and EU for the same feet)
USUKEUPeopleWear itSmaller
3—321under 1%0%
4.5233.51under 1%under 1%
52.5346under 1%under 1%
5.5334.5201%under 1%
63.535.5392%1%
6.5436854%3%
74.536.5975%8%
7.553724112%13%
85.53821211%25%
8.5638.526213%35%
96.53924012%49%
9.5739.528915%61%
107.540.51799%75%
10.58411106%84%
118.541.5894%90%
11.5942.5553%94%
129.543392%97%
12.51043.514under 1%99%
1310.5445under 1%over 99%
13.511452under 1%over 99%

Sizes are the standard sizes for each foot, rounded up, as the calculator gives them; a brand may put the same foot in another size. Single half sizes go up and down more than whole ones: each half size covers four or five whole millimetres of foot, and the survey’s readings cluster on some millimetres.On the same foot, a women’s size is about one and a half above the men’s: men’s vs women’s sizes.

Average kids’ shoe size by age

Children’s feet grow fast, so the average depends on the age. The middle child’s foot and its size at a few ages, from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s survey of children; every age from birth to 13, with the spread.

Children: the middle foot at each age and its size (babies measured lying down, from 2 years standing)
AgeMiddle footUSUKEU
12–15 months11.6 cm4C419.5
2 to 3½ years14.7 cm8C7.524.5
4 years16.0 cm9.5C926
6 years17.8 cm11.5C11.529
8 years19.7 cm1.5Y13.532
10 years21.6 cm4Y334.5
12 years23.2 cm5.5Y4.537
13 years23.7 cm6Y538

The children were measured in the 1970s. Feet differ between places and over time: the by-age page sets a 2022 survey of children in Beijing beside them.

The biggest and smallest shoe sizes

The biggest size on the brand charts we hold is US men’s 22 (Jordan and Nike), for a foot of 37.2 cm. The longest foot any of these charts gives a size for is 38.0 cm, New Balance’s US 20. Of 36 brands’ men’s charts, 26 go to US 15 or beyond, 19 to 16 and 10 to 17; the standard tables run to US men’s 18.

Big sizes are rare: in the survey, the longest man’s foot was 32.3 cm (US 16.5), and under 1% of men need a 15 or larger. 10 of the 36 men’s charts stop below 15.

At the small end, men’s charts start as low as US 2.5 and women’s as low as US 3. Women’s charts run to US women’s 22.5 (Jordan and Nike), and 20 of 29 go to 12 or beyond.

How far each brand’s chart goes
The smallest and largest US sizes on each brand’s own chart (everyday shoes), with the foot length the chart gives the largest
BrandMen’sLongest footWomen’s
adidas4–2035.2 cm5–15.5
Allbirds8–14—5–11
ANTA4–17—5–10.5
ASICS4–16—5–13
Brooks3.5–16—5–13
Campus7–14——
Clarks6–1531.4 cm5.5–11.5
Converse3–15——
Dr. Martens4–1634.0 cm—
Fila7–1331.0 cm—
Golden Goose6–1733.0 cm4–12
HEYDUDE4–1733.0 cm4–12
HOKA5–1531.5 cm5–12
Jordan and Nike3.5–2237.2 cm3.5–22.5
KEEN7–1732.6 cm5–12
Liberty5–1531.0 cm—
Merrell7–16—5–11.5
Mizuno4.5–14—6–15.5
New Balance2.5–2038.0 cm3–16
On7–15—5–12
Onitsuka Tiger3–14—4.5–12
PUMA6–16—5.5–11
Red Tape7–13—4–10
Reebok6.5–16.532.5 cm3.5–12
Salomon7–1431.5 cm5–16
Saucony3–1733.7 cm4.5–17.5
Skechers6.5–16—5–13
SOREL7–1733.2 cm5–12
Teva3–1533.5 cm4.5–14
Timberland4–1533.0 cm5–11
UGG3–1836.1 cm5–15
Under Armour7–1634.0 cm5–12
Vans6.5–1634.0 cm—
Veja6–14.532.0 cm—
Woodland6–12—4–10
Zara6–1430.3 cm5–11

Charts as each brand publishes them (every brand’s chart); a chart can list sizes that only some models come in. Women’s charts that number US sizes as UK + 1, as some Indian brands do, are left out.

The data

The adult figures are ANSUR II, the US Army’s anthropometric survey: 4,082 men and 1,986 women aged 17 to 58, measured between October 2010 and April 2012. Foot length is the right foot, standing with the weight on both feet, on a Brannock device read at the longest toe. Soldiers are not the whole population, and the figures are for the US: other countries’ averages may differ.

Questions

What is the average shoe size for a man?

A US men’s 10.5 (UK 9.5, EU 43): the middle man’s foot is 27.1 cm. Half of men wear US 9.5–11.5.

What is the average shoe size for a woman?

A US women’s 9 (UK 6.5, EU 39): the middle woman’s foot is 24.6 cm. Half of women wear US 8–9.5.

Is a size 12 big for a man?

Bigger than most: 18% of men wear a US 12 or larger, and 82% a smaller size.

Is a size 8 small for a man?

Smaller than most: 4% of men wear a smaller size and 90% a larger one.

Is a size 10 big for a woman?

Bigger than most: 25% of women wear a US women’s 10 or larger.

What is the biggest shoe size you can buy?

On the brand charts we hold, US men’s 22 (Jordan and Nike); 19 of 36 brands go to 16 or beyond. In the survey, under 1% of men need a 15 or larger.

Keep going

shoesize.app/shoe-size-by-heightShoe size by heightThe typical size for your height, with the spread.shoesize.app/kids-shoe-size-by-ageKids’ shoe size by ageEvery age from birth to 13, with the spread.shoesize.app/shoe-size-calculatorShoe size calculatorYour own size from your foot length.