172 cm at a glance
- Feet and inches
- 5 ft 7.72 in
- Nearest inch
- 5′8″
- Nearest ¼ inch
- 5′7 3/4″
- Total inches
- 67.717 in
- Decimal feet
- 5.643 ft
- Meters
- 1.72 m
How to convert 172 cm to feet and inches
67.7165 in ÷ 12 = 5 ft, remainder 7.7165 in
An inch is exactly 2.54 cm, so dividing by 2.54 gives inches; whole groups of 12 inches become feet. How you round the leftover 7.72 in depends on the use:
| Rounded to | Feet & inches | Error |
|---|---|---|
| Nearest inch | 5′8″ | 0.72 cm |
| Nearest ½ inch | 5′7 1/2″ | 0.55 cm |
| Nearest ¼ inch | 5′7 3/4″ | 0.09 cm |
| Nearest ⅛ inch | 5′7 3/4″ | 0.09 cm |
Is 172 cm tall? How it compares with US adults
For a man, 172 cm is within the middle half of heights (about the 34th percentile). For a woman it is tall — in the tallest tenth (about the 94th percentile).
| Group | Where 172 cm falls | Median height | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men 20 and over | about the 34th percentile | 175.4 cm | −3.4 cm (−1.3 in) |
| Women 20 and over | about the 94th percentile | 161.3 cm | +10.7 cm (+4.2 in) |
| Men 20–29 | about the 30th percentile | 176.0 cm | −4.0 cm (−1.6 in) |
| Women 20–29 | about the 93rd percentile | 162.8 cm | +9.2 cm (+3.6 in) |
Put another way, about 34 of every 100 US men are shorter, and about 94 of every 100 US women are shorter. 172 cm is closer to the typical man’s height than the typical woman’s; younger adults (20–29) run slightly taller than the all-ages figures, which include older adults who have lost some height.
Healthy weight range for 172 cm
Adult BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is the range the CDC labels healthy weight. At 172 cm (1.72 m), that works out to 54.7–73.7 kg, or 121–162 lb.
| BMI | Category | Weight (kg) | Weight (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18.5 | Healthy weight starts | 54.7 | 121 |
| 22.0 | Middle of healthy range | 65.1 | 143 |
| 25.0 | Overweight starts | 74.0 | 163 |
| 30.0 | Obesity starts | 88.8 | 196 |
BMI is a screening number, not a diagnosis: it does not separate muscle from fat and is not meant for children. Check a specific weight with the BMI calculator or compare formulas in the ideal weight calculator.
172 cm in everyday terms
- Children’s growth. 172 cm is close to the median height of US 14-year-old boys (170 cm) in the same CDC survey.
- Average range. 172 cm sits between the median US woman (161.3 cm) and the median US man (175.4 cm), the band where most adults fall.
- Filling in a US form? Round to the nearest inch and write 5′8″ — driver’s licenses and many forms use a compact style such as 5-08. Rounding 172 cm that way is off by 0.7 cm.
Heights near 172 cm
| Centimeters | Feet & inches | Inches |
|---|---|---|
| 167 cm | 5′6″ | 65.7 |
| 168 cm | 5′6″ | 66.1 |
| 169 cm | 5′7″ | 66.5 |
| 170 cm | 5′7″ | 66.9 |
| 171 cm | 5′7″ | 67.3 |
| 172 cm | 5′8″ | 67.7 |
| 173 cm | 5′8″ | 68.1 |
| 174 cm | 5′9″ | 68.5 |
| 175 cm | 5′9″ | 68.9 |
| 176 cm | 5′9″ | 69.3 |
| 177 cm | 5′10″ | 69.7 |
Going the other way: 5′8″ in centimeters is 172.72 cm.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is 172 cm in feet?
172 cm is 5 feet 7.7 inches, which most people round to 5′8″. As a decimal it is 5.64 feet.
Is 172 cm tall for a man?
Among US men aged 20 and over, 172 cm is about the 34th percentile, so it is within the middle half of heights. The median man is 175.4 cm (CDC NHANES 2015–2018).
Is 172 cm tall for a woman?
Among US women aged 20 and over, 172 cm is about the 94th percentile, so it is tall — in the tallest tenth. The median woman is 161.3 cm (CDC NHANES 2015–2018).
What is 172 cm in inches?
172 cm ÷ 2.54 = 67.72 inches.