Ideal Weight Calculator
Estimate ideal body weight from height and sex with four classic formulas, and see the healthy weight range for your height.
Sex
Units
Calculated in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Enter your height to see your ideal weight from each formula.
Ideal body weight formulas are rough guides for adults and do not account for frame size, muscle, or age. They are estimates, not medical advice or a diagnosis.
How to calculate ideal body weight
Choose sex and units
Pick male or female, then choose Metric or Imperial for how you want to enter your height.
Enter your height
Type your height in centimetres, or as feet and inches. The estimates appear as soon as the height is valid; there is no button to press.
Compare the results
Read the ideal weight from each formula and the healthy BMI range, then use Copy to put the full summary on your clipboard.
Why use this tool
Four formulas at once
Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi results sit side by side, each labelled with the year it was published, so you compare the methods instead of trusting one number.
Healthy range from BMI
See the weight span that matches a body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9 at your exact height, shown in the same units you entered.
Metric and imperial
Enter height in centimetres, or switch to feet and inches. Every estimate updates instantly and is shown in kilograms or pounds to match.
Sensible at short heights
The per-inch term is held at zero below 5 feet, so no formula ever reports a negative or nonsensical weight.
Runs entirely in your browser
Everything happens on your device; nothing is uploaded, stored, or logged.
About this tool
This ideal weight calculator estimates a target body weight from just your height and sex, using the four formulas that clinicians have leaned on for decades: Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi. Each one starts from a base weight at 5 feet and adds a fixed amount for every inch above that, so taller people get a proportionally higher figure. Enter your height in metric or imperial and all four estimates appear at once, next to the span they cover, so you can see how closely the methods agree.
The formulas differ because they were derived from different populations and eras, which is why a single ideal number can be misleading. Devine, published in 1974, was originally built to help set medication doses rather than fitness goals; Robinson and Miller followed in 1983 with gentler per-inch increments, and Hamwi dates to 1964. Below 5 feet the per-inch term is held at zero, so each formula reports its base weight rather than an implausibly low value. Treat the results as a rough band, not a verdict.
Alongside the formula estimates you get a healthy weight range from body mass index: the weights that fall between a BMI of 18.5 and 24.9 at your exact height. This range is usually wider and more forgiving than the point estimates, and it does not depend on sex. For related figures, the BMI calculator works the other way from a known weight, and the body fat calculator estimates body composition. Everything is worked out on your device, and nothing you type is uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
- How is ideal body weight calculated?
- Each formula sets a base weight for a person 5 feet (60 inches) tall, then adds a fixed number of kilograms for every inch above that height. Devine, Robinson, Miller, and Hamwi use different base weights and per-inch increments for men and women, which is why their answers differ slightly. This tool applies all four as you type and converts to your chosen units.
- Which formula should I use?
- There is no single right answer. Devine is the one most often seen in medicine, where it helps set drug doses, while Robinson and Miller tend to give lower figures and Hamwi slightly higher. Reading them together as a range is more useful than picking one, which is why the results show the full span across all four.
- Does it work in feet and inches?
- Yes. Switch the units toggle to Imperial to enter your height as feet plus inches, and every estimate is shown in pounds. Metric mode takes centimetres and returns kilograms. The underlying maths is identical; only the display units change.
- What happens below 5 feet?
- The formulas were built for adults taller than 5 feet, where weight rises with each extra inch. Below that height the per-inch term is clamped at zero, so each formula simply returns its base weight rather than a negative or unrealistically small number. The healthy BMI range still adjusts smoothly at any height.
- Is ideal weight the same as a healthy weight?
- Not quite. The formulas give a single point estimate, while the healthy weight range comes from body mass index and spans every weight between a BMI of 18.5 and 24.9 for your height. Real bodies vary with frame size, muscle, and age, so these numbers are a guide for adults, not a target or a diagnosis.
- Is my data uploaded anywhere?
- No. Everything runs in your browser; the height and sex you enter are never sent to a server, stored, or logged.
Related tools
BMI Calculator
Work out body mass index from height and weight, in metric or imperial, with the WHO adult category and a healthy weight range for your height.
Body Fat Calculator
Estimate your body fat percentage from tape measurements using the U.S. Navy method, then see your fat mass and lean mass. Metric or imperial, updated as you type.
BMR Calculator
Estimate your basal metabolic rate from sex, age, height, and weight, comparing the Mifflin-St Jeor and Harris-Benedict equations, with an optional daily calorie estimate.
401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement from your contributions, employer match, and expected return, year by year.
Amortization Schedule Calculator
Build a full payment-by-payment schedule for any fixed-rate loan, with the payoff date and the interest you save by paying extra.
APY Calculator
Turn a nominal rate and compounding frequency into the true annual percentage yield, project a balance, or reverse solve the rate.