The common raccoon is found across North America, from southern Canada down to Panama. Their success in diverse environments means that their physical size is not uniform across their range. This variation in size is directly tied to factors like climate, local food availability, and gender.
Typical Adult Dimensions
The average weight for an adult raccoon in North America is generally between 10 and 30 pounds. For those in the wild, 10 to 20 pounds is a more common average. A typical raccoon is about the size of a very large house cat or a small to medium-sized dog.
Excluding the tail, the body length of an adult usually spans from 16 to 28 inches. Their heavily furred, banded tail adds a considerable amount of length, measuring an additional 7.5 to 16 inches. The overall length, from nose to tail tip, can therefore reach up to three feet. A raccoon’s weight can also fluctuate significantly throughout the year, with individuals often doubling their springtime mass by late fall to prepare for winter dormancy.
Geographic and Sexual Variation
Size differences are primarily governed by climate and the distinct biological differences between the sexes. Raccoons inhabiting colder, northern regions tend to be substantially larger than their southern counterparts. This phenomenon is an example of Bergmann’s Rule, where animals in colder environments evolve greater body mass to better conserve heat.
The smallest subspecies, such as the Ten Thousand Islands raccoon found along the coast of Florida, can weigh as little as four to six pounds. Conversely, raccoons in the northern United States are consistently among the largest. Sexual dimorphism also plays a substantial role, as male raccoons, known as boars, are typically 10 to 30 percent heavier and larger than female raccoons, or sows.
Growth Rate and Record Holders
Raccoon kits experience rapid growth during their first year of life, generally reaching their full adult body length and height by the time they are 10 to 12 months old. While they are physically mature at this point, they may continue to gain weight, particularly fat mass, until they are about two years old. Females can reach sexual maturity as early as ten months, but males generally mature later, often due to competition with larger, older boars.
The absolute maximum size achieved by a raccoon is a statistical outlier, often linked to extreme food abundance. While a typical, healthy wild boar raccoon may reach 30 to 35 pounds, the heaviest reliably recorded wild raccoon was a massive individual from Wisconsin that weighed 62 pounds and six ounces. Individuals exceeding 40 pounds are usually found in urban environments where they have access to consistent, high-calorie food sources from human waste. The largest documented raccoon, an obese captive animal named Bandit, reached a weight of nearly 75 pounds.