The average American woman weighs approximately 170 pounds, based on national survey data collected by the CDC. That figure applies to women aged 20 and older and has climbed steadily over the past several decades. The average height for American women is 63.5 inches, or just under 5 feet 4 inches.
How Weight Varies by Ethnicity
National averages mask significant variation across demographic groups. The most recent data breaks down average weight for women aged 20 and older by ethnicity:
- Hispanic women: 168 pounds (76.2 kg)
- Non-Hispanic white women: 170.9 pounds (77.5 kg)
- Non-Hispanic Black women: 188.5 pounds (85.5 kg)
These differences reflect a combination of genetic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors. Access to healthy food, neighborhood walkability, chronic stress, and healthcare access all play a role in population-level weight patterns. No single group’s average should be treated as a target or benchmark for individual health.
How American Women’s Weight Has Changed Over Time
The average weight for American women aged 20 to 74 was 140.2 pounds in 1960. By 2002, it had risen to 164.3 pounds, an increase of more than 24 pounds in roughly four decades. That trend has continued, pushing the current average to around 170 pounds.
The increase wasn’t evenly distributed across age groups. Women aged 20 to 29 gained the most, averaging nearly 29 pounds heavier in 2002 compared to 1960. Women aged 40 to 49 were about 25.5 pounds heavier, and women aged 60 to 74 gained roughly 17.5 pounds over the same period. The larger gains among younger women suggest that environmental and dietary shifts have had a cumulative effect, with each generation starting at a higher baseline.
Height increased only slightly during the same period, about an inch on average. So the weight gain isn’t explained by women getting taller. The primary drivers are changes in diet, physical activity levels, portion sizes, and the broader food environment. Ultra-processed foods now make up a much larger share of the American diet than they did in 1960, and daily calorie intake has increased substantially.
What the Average Tells You (and What It Doesn’t)
An average is a single number representing millions of women with very different body types, heights, and builds. A woman who is 5 feet tall and a woman who is 5 feet 10 inches will have completely different healthy weight ranges, even though they both contribute to the same national average. At 63.5 inches tall and 170 pounds, the “average” American woman has a BMI of about 29.6, which falls just below the threshold for obesity (a BMI of 30) and within the overweight category.
That said, BMI is a rough screening tool. It doesn’t distinguish between muscle and fat, doesn’t account for where fat is stored, and performs differently across ethnic groups and body types. Waist circumference, body fat percentage, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels all provide a more complete picture of metabolic health than weight alone. Two women at the same weight can have very different health profiles depending on their fitness level, fat distribution, and genetics.
How the U.S. Compares Globally
American women are among the heaviest in the world by national average. Women in most European and East Asian countries average significantly less, typically between 130 and 150 pounds. Countries with similar averages to the U.S. tend to be other high-income, English-speaking nations like the United Kingdom and Australia, or Pacific Island nations where genetic and dietary factors contribute to higher body weight. The global average for adult women is closer to 137 pounds, putting the U.S. about 33 pounds above that mark.
Why Individual Weight Ranges Matter More
If you searched this question to figure out how your own weight compares, keep in mind that “average” and “healthy” are not the same thing. The average has shifted upward precisely because rates of overweight and obesity have risen across the population. A more useful reference point is a healthy weight range based on your specific height. For a woman at the U.S. average height of 5 feet 3.5 inches, a BMI in the normal range (18.5 to 24.9) corresponds to roughly 105 to 140 pounds.
Body composition matters as much as the number on the scale. Women naturally carry more body fat than men, and where that fat sits affects health risk. Fat stored around the midsection (visceral fat) is more strongly linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic problems than fat stored in the hips and thighs. A waist circumference above 35 inches is generally considered a risk marker for women, regardless of total weight.
Weight also shifts naturally with age. Women tend to gain weight through their 50s and 60s as metabolism slows and muscle mass decreases, then gradually lose weight in later decades. Hormonal changes during and after menopause contribute to both weight gain and a shift in fat distribution toward the abdomen. These patterns are normal, though staying physically active and maintaining muscle through resistance exercise can blunt the effect.