Ideal Weight Calculator
See a healthy weight for your height by the classic formulas and by BMI.
Runs in your browser — nothing is sent or saved.
How to find your ideal weight
- Choose your sex.
- Pick metric or imperial and enter your height.
- Read the healthy weight range and the classic formula estimates.
- Copy the link to save or share the result.
What ideal body weight means
Ideal body weight is a target figure worked out mostly from your height and sex. Several doctors built formulas for it last century, first to help dose medicine, and they are still used as a quick guide. The oldest, the Devine formula, was written to help dose medicine. This ideal weight calculator shows the four best-known ones side by side, plus the modern ideal weight for height range based on BMI, so you can see how much should I weigh from more than one angle.
The classic formulas
Each one gives a single number for a base height of five feet, then adds a set amount for every inch above that. They differ only in those starting points.
| Formula | Year | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Devine | 1974 | the original, built for drug dosing |
| Robinson | 1983 | a revision, usually a little lower |
| Miller | 1983 | another revision |
| Hamwi | 1964 | a fast bedside rule of thumb |
Sources: Devine BJ (1974); Robinson JD et al. (1983); Miller DR et al. (1983); Hamwi GJ (1964).
Why the healthy BMI range matters more
The old formulas depend only on height, so they cannot tell a muscular person from a soft one, and they give a single number rather than a sensible range. The healthy weight for height range shown at the top uses the World Health Organization BMI band of 18.5 to 24.9, which gives a window rather than one figure. For most people that range is the better target.
Source: World Health Organization BMI classification for adults.
An estimate, not medical advice
No formula knows your build, muscle, or frame size, so treat every number here as a rough guide. A healthy weight is a range, and where you sit in it depends on more than height. See a doctor or dietitian for a target that fits you.
FAQ
How much should I weigh for my height?
A good answer is the healthy BMI range shown at the top, which is a window rather than a single number. The classic formulas below it give point estimates for comparison.
Which ideal weight formula is best?
None is clearly best, since they were built for different purposes. The healthy BMI range is the more modern guide, and the average of the four formulas is a reasonable single figure.
Is ideal weight different for men and women?
Yes. For the same height, the formulas set a lower base weight for women than for men, so the ideal body weight comes out lower.
Does ideal weight account for muscle?
No. These formulas use only height and sex, so a muscular person can sit above the range while being lean. Pair this with a body-fat estimate for a fuller picture.
Are my details private?
Yes. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you enter is uploaded or saved.