Ideal Weight Calculator

This calculator takes your height and gender, then runs four different equations that clinicians have developed over decades to estimate a target body weight. Each formula—Robinson, Miller, Devine, and Hamwi—emerged from studies of healthy adults and attempts to define what "ideal" means for someone of average frame. None of them factor in age, muscle mass, or bone density, which means they're starting points rather than final verdicts.

The tool also shows your healthy BMI range, which works differently. Instead of one target number, BMI gives you a span—typically the weights that fall between 18.5 and 24.9 on the index for your height. You'll often find the four formula results clustered within that BMI range, but not always. The discrepancies themselves are useful: they remind you that "ideal weight" isn't a single scientifically perfect number but rather a zone influenced by your frame, activity level, and health goals.

All four formulas share a similar structure: they start with a base weight for someone who stands 5 feet tall, then add a certain number of pounds for each inch above that baseline. The Devine formula, created in 1974, gives men a base of 110 pounds plus 5.1 pounds per inch over 60 inches. For a 5'10" man, that's 110 plus 51, yielding 161 pounds. Women under Devine start at 100 pounds with 5 pounds added per inch—a 5'6" woman would calculate 100 plus 30, landing at 130 pounds.

Robinson's 1983 update adjusted the increments: men add 4.2 pounds per inch and women add 3.6. The Miller formula from the same period uses smaller increments still—2.5 pounds for men, 2.3 for women—producing noticeably lower targets. Hamwi, the oldest at 1964, lands between them. Running the same 5'10" man through all four gives you 161 (Devine), 157 (Robinson), 152 (Hamwi), and 145 (Miller). That sixteen-pound spread shows why comparing multiple formulas matters.

Imagine Sarah, who stands 5'7" and wants a concrete benchmark before setting a fitness goal. She enters her height and selects female. The calculator returns four numbers: Devine says 135 pounds, Robinson says 131, Hamwi gives 136, and Miller suggests 127. Meanwhile, her healthy BMI range spans roughly 118 to 159 pounds—anything within that zone keeps her BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.

Sarah notices all four formula results cluster between 127 and 136, right in the middle of her BMI range. This tells her that targeting around 130 to 135 pounds would satisfy most clinical definitions of ideal weight. But if she has an athletic build with more muscle, aiming for the higher end—or even slightly above—might suit her better. The formulas assume average frame and average muscle mass. Sarah, a recreational weightlifter, decides her personal target is 140 pounds, which still falls comfortably within the healthy BMI window but acknowledges her body composition.

Most people glance at these numbers once and forget them, but the four-formula comparison opens up useful applications. Consider someone recovering from illness who lost significant weight: rather than guessing a goal, they can use the lowest formula result (usually Miller) as a minimum safe target during recovery, ensuring they're not stopping short of a clinically reasonable weight. Then they might aim toward the higher formulas over time.

Another scenario involves athletes who need to weigh in for a sport. A wrestler who competes at 152 pounds can compare that against his formula outputs. If Miller says 145 and Robinson says 157, he knows 152 sits comfortably in range—not dangerously low. The BMI span adds another check: if his weight class would push him below 18.5 BMI, the calculator flags that as outside healthy territory. Parents sometimes use these formulas to sanity-check growth expectations for teenagers, though pediatric charts work better for children under 18.

A height-weight reference table lets you look up the ideal weight range for any height without doing arithmetic. For women, a 5'0" (152 cm) frame corresponds to an ideal range of roughly 97–123 pounds (44–56 kg) across the four formulas. At 5'4" that range rises to 108–132 pounds (49–60 kg), and at 5'8" it reaches 122–148 pounds (55–67 kg). The spread between the lowest formula (Miller) and highest (Hamwi or Devine) stays at about 15–20 pounds throughout.

For men the numbers are higher at every height because the formulas were calibrated on male physiology. A 5'8" man falls between 139–159 pounds (63–72 kg), a 5'10" man between 151–172 pounds (69–78 kg), and a 6'0" man between 164–186 pounds (74–84 kg). These ranges assume an average skeletal frame. Men with broad shoulders and dense bones typically sit comfortably 10–15 pounds above the upper formula result while still remaining lean and healthy.

Searching "ideal weight chart" or "weight chart by height" online pulls up countless images of these tables, but they vary because different sources use different formulas. This calculator shows all four simultaneously, which is more useful than any single chart because you can see the realistic target zone rather than one arbitrary number.

The most common mistake is treating these numbers as gospel. Someone 5'4" with a naturally broad frame might get a Devine result of 120 pounds that feels unrealistic—and it probably is for them. These formulas were built on population averages from decades ago and don't account for ethnic variation, age-related changes, or individual bone structure. Using them as the only guide for weight loss can lead to frustration or, worse, unhealthy restriction.

Another pitfall is ignoring the BMI range in favor of the single-number appeal. People often prefer one "ideal" answer, but the range is clinically more meaningful. If your current weight sits within a healthy BMI but all four formulas say you should weigh less, the formulas might simply not fit your body type. Finally, remember these calculators assume adult height—using them for teenagers or anyone under 18 produces misleading figures because adolescent bodies are still developing.