Average Hand Size: For Adults, Children, Athletes, And More

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What’s the Average Hand Size for Men, Women, and Children?

Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Scott Frothingham on August 7, 2019

Adults
Children
Grip size
Glove sizing
Hand size vs. height
Pro athletes
World's largest hands
Takeaway

Hands come in all different shapes and sizes. The average length of an adult male’s hand is 7.6 inches — measured from the tip of the longest finger to the crease under the palm. The average length of an adult female’s hand is 6.8 inches. However, there’s more to hand size than length.

Keep reading to learn about the average hand length, breadth, circumference, and grip size of male and female adults, as well as the average children’s hand size. We’ll also explain how to measure gloves to fit your hands. Plus, we’ll look at the relationship between hand size and height, how athletes’ hands compare, and the largest hands measured in the world.

Average adult hand size

There are three key measurements of adult hand size:

length: measured from the tip of the longest finger to the crease under the palm
breadth: measured across the widest area where the fingers join the palm
circumference: measured around the palm of your dominant hand, just below the knuckles, excluding the thumb

According to a comprehensive study of proportions of the human body by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), here is the average adult hand size:

Gender	Average length	Average breadth	Average circumference
Male	7.6 inches	3.5 inches	8.6 inches
Female	6.8 inches	3.1 inches	7.0 inches

Average hand sizes of children

Here are the average hand sizes for children ages 6 to 11, according to a U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare survey:

Gender	Average hand length	Average hand breadth
Male	6-year-olds: 4.6–5.7 inches11-year-olds: 5.5–6.8 inches	6-year-olds: 2.1–2.6 inches11-year-olds: 2.0–3.1 inches
Female	6-year-olds: 4.4–5.7 inches11-year-olds: 5.6–7.0 inches	6-year-olds: 2.0–2.7 inches11-year-olds: 2.0–3.1 inches

Average adult grip size

Determining your grip size can help you with proper tool selection. According to a 2005 study, the optimal handle diameter is 19.7 percent of the user’s hand length.

For example, if your hand length is 7.6 inches, multiply that by 0.197 to get 1.49 inches. This means the optimum handle diameter for a tool such as a hammer would be about 1.5 inches.

That said, the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) suggests there’s more to tool selection than handle diameter. For example, you should also be sure that the tool:

is designed for the job
is comfortable to hold
requires a minimum amount of force to use
is balanced
is not too light for the job

How to choose gloves based on your hand size

Glove sizes are determined by measuring the length and circumference of your hand, and then using the largest of these measurements to select gloves of the proper size.

Here’s a table you can use to select your glove size:

Hand size (the largest measurement of either length or circumference)	Glove size
7 inches	XSmall
7.5–8 inches	Small
8.5–9 inches	Medium
9.5–10 inches	Large
10.5–11 inches	XLarge
11.5–12 inches	2 XLarge
12–13.5 inches	3 XLarge

The relationship between hand size and height

According to a 2014 study, you can make a close estimation of somebody’s height with a regression equation using hand length, gender, and age.

This predicted height can be used to calculate body mass index (BMI). This is typically used in a clinical setting if it’s not possible to get specific measurements directly.

Professional athlete hand sizes

In pro sports, hand size is commonly measured in two ways: length and span. Span is the measurement from the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb while the hand is outstretched.

National Basketball Association (NBA)

Every year at the draft combine, the NBA takes official body measurements. Considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan’s hand measurements were 9.75 inches in length with a span of 11.375 inches. Jordan’s hand span is 21 percent wider than average for his height of 6’6”. Click here to see the 15 largest hand sizes in NBA history.

Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)

According to the WNBA, Brittney Griner, who is considered one of the best women’s basketball players in the world, has a hand size of 9.5 inches. Griner is 6’9” tall.

National Football League (NFL)

According to the Washington Post, the number one pick in the 2019 NFL draft, 2018 Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray, has a hand size of 9.5 inches. He is 5’10” tall.

The largest hands in the world

According to the Guinness World Records, the living person with the largest hands in the world is Sultan Kösen, who was born in Turkey in 1982. His hand length is 11.22 inches. At 8’3” tall, Kösen is also certified by Guinness as the world’s tallest man.

According to Guinness, the record for the largest hands ever belong to Robert Wadlow (1918–1940), whose hand length was 12.75 inches.

The takeaway

Many people find it interesting to compare the measurements of their hands to the hands of other people. Or they’re interested in how their hands compare to the average hand size.

Hand measurements also play a role in the selection of tools, such as handle size, and clothing, such as glove size.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Anthropometry and biomechanics. (2018).https://msis.jsc.nasa.gov/sections/section03.htm
Extreme cold weather clothing sizes. (2019).https://www.usap.gov/USAPgov/travelAndDeployment/documents/16%20TL-FRM-0089%20ecw.pdf
Guerra RS, et al. (2014). Hand length as an alternative measurement of height. DOI:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24169457
Hand anthropometry. (n.d.).https://usability.gtri.gatech.edu/eou_info/hand_anthro.php
Hand tools. (n.d.).https://www.cpwr.com/sites/default/files/publications/Hand_Tools_Web_2.pdf
Kong YK, et al. (2019). Optimal cylindrical handle diameter for grip force tasks. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2004.11.003
Selected body measurements of children 6-11 years. (1973).https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_123acc.pdf
What is my hand size? (n.d.).https://choosehandsafety.com/choosing-hand-tools/hand-tool-size#ft1

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Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph.D., MSN — Written by Scott Frothingham on August 7, 2019

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