Quick answer: the average hand length is 7.6 inches (19.3 cm) for men and 7.1 inches (18.0 cm) for women. Average hand breadth is 3.5 in for men and 3.1 in for women.
Average Hand Size for Men and Women
The average hand is 7.6 inches (19.3 cm) long for men and 7.1 inches (18.0 cm) for women, measured from the wrist crease to the tip of the middle finger. Across the knuckles, men average 3.5 inches (8.8 cm) and women 3.1 inches (7.8 cm). These figures come from the U.S. Army’s ANSUR II survey of more than 6,000 adults.
| Measurement | Men, median | Men, 5th–95th | Women, median | Women, 5th–95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hand length | 7.6 in (19.3) | 7.0–8.3 in | 7.1 in (18.0) | 6.5–7.8 in |
| Hand breadth | 3.5 in (8.8) | 3.2–3.8 in | 3.1 in (7.8) | 2.8–3.3 in |
| Circumference | 8.3 in (21.2) | 7.7–9.1 in | 7.4 in (18.7) | 6.8–8.0 in |
| Palm length | 4.6 in (11.6) | 4.2–5.0 in | 4.3 in (10.8) | 3.9–4.7 in |
Men’s hands are only about 7% longer than women’s, but about 13% wider. That is why gloves and tool handles sized for men often feel loose on women even when the length is fine.
Is Your Hand Small, Average or Large?
| Hand length | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 6.5 in (16.5 cm) | 1st | 7th |
| 7.0 in (17.8 cm) | 6th | 42nd |
| 7.5 in (19.1 cm) | 40th | 85th |
| 8.0 in (20.3 cm) | 85th | 99th |
| 8.5 in (21.6 cm) | 99th | 99th |
For reference, NBA draft prospects typically measure 8.5 to 9.5 inches in hand length, putting them above the 99th percentile of the general male population.
Hand Size by Height
Hand length is roughly 11% of height for both sexes. This rule is close enough that doctors can estimate a bedridden patient’s height from hand length.
| Height | Typical hand length |
|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 6.6 in |
| 5 ft 2 in | 6.8 in |
| 5 ft 4 in | 7.0 in |
| 5 ft 6 in | 7.3 in |
| 5 ft 8 in | 7.5 in |
| 5 ft 10 in | 7.7 in |
| 6 ft 0 in | 7.9 in |
| 6 ft 2 in | 8.1 in |
| 6 ft 4 in | 8.4 in |
How to Measure Your Hand
- Lay your hand flat. Place your dominant hand palm up on a table with the fingers straight and together, thumb relaxed to the side.
- Measure length. Measure from the crease where the palm meets the wrist to the tip of the middle finger, in a straight line.
- Measure breadth. Measure straight across the palm at the knuckles, from the outside of the index finger to the outside of the little finger. Do not include the thumb.
- Measure circumference for gloves. Wrap a soft tape around the hand at the knuckles, thumb tucked out of the way, keeping it snug. This number in inches is your glove size.
Hand Size and Glove Size
Glove sizes follow the circumference of your hand at the knuckles. In traditional sizing, that circumference in inches is the glove size. Letter sizes vary by brand, but this is a common pattern:
| Size | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| XS | 7 in | 6 in |
| S | 7.5–8 in | 6.5 in |
| M | 8.5–9 in | 7 in |
| L | 9.5–10 in | 7.5–8 in |
| XL | 10.5–11 in | 8.5 in+ |
| XXL | 11.5 in+ | — |
If you are between sizes, choose the larger size for work and winter gloves and the smaller for leather dress gloves, which stretch. For rings and watches, see the average wrist size guide.
What Hand Size Affects
Grip and tools: handle diameter should match your hand; ergonomic guidance often suggests a power-grip handle of about 1.2 to 2 inches (3–5 cm). Larger hands generally produce more grip force.
Sports and music: long fingers and a wide span help with palming a basketball, gripping a football or reaching a piano octave and beyond, though technique matters more.
Phones and devices: one-handed reach on a large phone depends mostly on thumb length, which tracks hand length.
Hand size also follows overall frame. People with long hands often have larger wrists and a bigger skeletal frame; check yours with the body frame size calculator.
Hand Size FAQ
What is the average hand size for a man?
The average adult man’s hand is about 7.6 inches (19.3 cm) long from the wrist crease to the tip of the middle finger and 3.5 inches (8.8 cm) wide across the knuckles, based on the U.S. Army ANSUR II survey.
What is the average hand size for a woman?
The average adult woman’s hand is about 7.1 inches (18.0 cm) long and 3.1 inches (7.8 cm) wide across the knuckles, from the same ANSUR II survey.
Is an 8 inch hand big?
Yes. An 8 inch (20.3 cm) hand is longer than about 85% of men and nearly all women. Hands of 8.5 inches or more are common among NBA players.
Is a 7 inch hand small for a man?
A 7 inch hand is on the small side for a man, shorter than about 94% of men. For a woman, 7 inches is close to average.
How do I measure my hand size?
For length, measure from the crease where your palm meets your wrist to the tip of your middle finger, with fingers straight and together. For breadth, measure straight across the palm at the knuckles, thumb excluded. For glove size, measure around the knuckles.
What glove size am I?
Measure around your hand at the knuckles, thumb excluded. That number in inches is your traditional glove size: 8 inches is a size 8. For letter sizes, men’s 8 to 9 inches is usually medium and 9 to 10 inches large; women’s 7 inches is usually medium.
Does hand size relate to height?
Yes. Hand length is usually about 11% of height in both men and women, so taller people tend to have longer hands. Doctors sometimes estimate height from hand length when a person cannot stand.
Do bigger hands mean a stronger grip?
Somewhat. People with larger hands, especially wider palms, tend to have higher grip strength, but training and muscle mass matter more. Very large or very small hands can also make standard handles less comfortable.
Sources
- Gordon CC, et al. 2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel: Methods and Summary Statistics (ANSUR II). NATICK/TR-15/007, 2014.
- Guerra RS, et al. Hand length as an alternative measurement of height. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;68:229–233.
- NASA. Man-Systems Integration Standards, Vol. 1, Section 3: Anthropometry and Biomechanics.
Percentiles assume a normal distribution fitted to the published ANSUR II 5th, 50th and 95th percentiles. Glove sizes vary by brand.