The average adult woman in the United States weighs approximately 170 pounds (77.5 kilograms), based on national survey data collected by the CDC. That number reflects all adult women ages 20 and older and has been climbing steadily for decades. To put it in context, the average American woman stands about 5 feet 3.5 inches tall, which places the population-level average firmly in the “overweight” category by standard BMI classifications.
What the National Data Shows
The CDC tracks body measurements through its ongoing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which physically measures a representative sample of the U.S. population rather than relying on self-reported numbers. The most recent cycle covers August 2021 through August 2023. Self-reported weight tends to skew lower than measured weight, so NHANES data is considered more reliable than what you’d get from phone surveys or online questionnaires.
At roughly 170 pounds and 63.5 inches tall, the average American woman has a BMI of about 29.6, just under the obesity threshold of 30. That aligns with broader findings from the same data cycle showing that 41.3% of U.S. women meet the clinical definition of obesity (a BMI of 30 or higher). When you add in women classified as overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9), a clear majority of American women fall above what medical guidelines consider a “normal” weight range.
How Average Weight Changes With Age
Weight doesn’t stay constant across a woman’s lifespan. Women in their 20s and early 30s generally weigh less than women in middle age. Weight tends to peak between the ages of 40 and 59, when metabolic rate slows and hormonal shifts, particularly around perimenopause and menopause, make it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it. After 60, average weight typically declines somewhat, partly due to loss of muscle mass and changes in appetite and activity levels.
These age-related shifts mean a 25-year-old comparing herself to the national average is looking at a number pulled up by older age groups, while a 50-year-old might find that the overall average understates what’s typical for her peers. If you’re trying to gauge where you fall, the age-specific average is more useful than the all-ages number.
Differences Across Race and Ethnicity
Average weight varies significantly by race and ethnicity. Black women have the highest obesity prevalence at 43.8%, while Asian women have the lowest at 12.3%, a nearly fourfold difference. Non-Hispanic white women fall in between at 31.5% obesity prevalence. These gaps reflect a combination of genetic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors, including differences in access to affordable healthy food, neighborhood walkability, and stress exposure.
Because these groups have meaningfully different weight distributions, the single national average can obscure more than it reveals. A number like 170 pounds is a statistical composite, not a benchmark that applies equally to every population.
Why “Average” Doesn’t Mean “Healthy”
For a woman of average American height (5 feet 3.5 inches), a BMI in the “normal” range of 18.5 to 24.9 corresponds to roughly 104 to 140 pounds. That’s a wide gap below the national average of 170 pounds, which tells you something important: the average American woman’s weight is well above what clinical guidelines associate with the lowest risk of weight-related conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and joint problems.
That said, BMI is a blunt tool. It doesn’t distinguish between muscle and fat, doesn’t account for where fat is stored, and performs differently across body types and ethnic groups. Two women at the same weight can have very different health profiles depending on their body composition, fitness level, and where they carry weight. Waist circumference, for instance, is a better predictor of metabolic risk than total body weight alone. A waist measurement above 35 inches in women is associated with higher risk regardless of what the scale says.
How U.S. Women Compare Globally
American women weigh more on average than women in most other countries. The global average for adult women is closer to 137 pounds (62 kilograms). Women in East and Southeast Asian countries average significantly less, often in the 110 to 130 pound range, while women in many European countries fall between the global and U.S. averages. Among high-income nations, the U.S. consistently ranks near the top for average female body weight.
This gap has widened over time. In 1960, the average American woman weighed about 140 pounds. The roughly 30-pound increase over six decades reflects broad shifts in diet, portion sizes, physical activity patterns, and the food environment rather than changes in genetics or height, which has barely moved over that same period.
What the Number Means for You
If you searched this question to figure out where you stand, the national average is a starting point, not a goal. Your frame size, muscle mass, activity level, and health markers matter far more than how you compare to a population statistic. A competitive athlete and a sedentary office worker can both weigh 170 pounds and have completely different health pictures.
The more useful question isn’t whether you’re above or below average, but whether your weight is stable, whether your waist circumference is in a healthy range, and whether your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol look good. Those indicators tell you more about your actual health risk than any single number on a scale.