To measure hip circumference, wrap a flexible measuring tape around the widest part of your buttocks, keeping the tape level and parallel to the floor. This single landmark, the point of maximum extension of the buttocks, is the standardized location used in both clinical and fitness settings. Getting it right takes about 30 seconds once you know the technique.
What You Need
A soft, flexible measuring tape (the kind used for sewing) is the best tool. If you don’t have one, you can wrap a piece of string or ribbon around your hips, mark where it overlaps, and then lay it flat against a rigid ruler or yardstick. Avoid using a metal contractor’s tape, which won’t conform to the curves of your body and will give you an inaccurate number.
Wear thin, form-fitting clothing or measure directly against skin. Thick jeans, belts, or bunched-up fabric can easily add half an inch or more.
Step-by-Step Measurement
Stand with your feet together and your weight distributed evenly on both legs. Look straight ahead rather than down at the tape, since bending or shifting your posture changes the shape of your hips.
Wrap the tape around the widest horizontal line across your buttocks. This is not your hip bones and not your upper thighs. It’s the point where your backside protrudes the most. For most people, this falls a few inches below the top of the hip bones. If you’re measuring yourself, use a mirror to confirm the tape is level all the way around and hasn’t dipped or twisted in the back.
Pull the tape snug enough that it stays in place but doesn’t compress your skin. You should be able to slide a finger underneath it. Read the number where the tape overlaps the starting end, and round to the nearest half-centimeter or quarter-inch.
Measuring Yourself vs. Having Help
It’s easier to get an accurate reading with a second person, mainly because keeping the tape perfectly level behind your body is the trickiest part when you do it alone. If you’re measuring solo, stand in front of a full-length mirror with your back partially turned so you can see the tape’s position across your buttocks. Take two separate measurements and use the average. In clinical studies, trained technicians typically take two readings and average them, which improves reliability.
Self-reported hip measurements tend to correlate well with professional ones. One study comparing self-measured and technician-measured circumferences found a correlation of 0.89 to 0.95, meaning most people get reasonably close on their own. The key mistakes to avoid are measuring too high (at the hip bones), letting the tape angle downward in the front or back, and pulling too tight.
Common Mistakes That Skew Results
- Wrong landmark: Measuring across your hip bones instead of the fullest point of your buttocks. The hip bones sit higher and will give a smaller, inaccurate number.
- Tilted tape: If the tape rides up in the back and dips in the front (or vice versa), you’re measuring on a diagonal. Keep it parallel to the floor.
- Holding your breath or flexing: Breathe normally and stand relaxed. Clenching your glutes firms the tissue and slightly reduces the circumference.
- Measuring over bulky clothing: Pockets, seams, and thick fabric all add volume. Thin layers or bare skin only.
Why Hip Circumference Matters
Hip circumference on its own tells you your size for clothing and fitness tracking, but it becomes a health indicator when paired with your waist measurement. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) compares where your body stores fat. You calculate it by dividing your waist circumference by your hip circumference.
A healthy WHR is 0.90 or less for men and 0.80 or less for women. A ratio of 1.0 or higher in either sex is associated with increased risk for heart disease and other weight-related conditions. Because hip circumference is the denominator in this ratio, measuring it accurately matters just as much as getting your waist right. An inflated hip measurement will make your ratio look artificially favorable.
How to Measure Your Waist for the Ratio
To calculate WHR, you also need your waist circumference. Find the narrowest point of your torso, which for most people sits roughly halfway between the bottom of your ribs and the top of your hip bones. Wrap the tape at that level, again keeping it parallel to the floor. Measure at the end of a normal exhale, not while sucking in.
Divide the waist number by the hip number. For example, a waist of 32 inches and hips of 40 inches gives a WHR of 0.80.
Tracking Changes Over Time
If you’re using hip circumference to monitor fitness progress or body composition changes, consistency matters more than perfection. Measure at the same time of day (morning is best, before eating), in the same clothing, and at the same landmark every time. Small fluctuations of a quarter inch from day to day are normal and reflect hydration, digestion, and posture rather than real tissue changes. A trend over several weeks is far more meaningful than any single reading.