What is the average foot size for Men in the US?

The average shoe size for men in the US is around a 10.5, give and take. Our genetics, environment and height mostly determine foot size—tall men often have bigger feet to balance their bodies. A size 11 isn’t considered significant for a guy and is quite common.

What is the average foot size for men? Whether you’re discreetly buying footwear for your partner or you’re wondering if your feet are standard, this is a common question.

There’s an array of determining factors to consider regarding the sizes of our feet. Fortunately, we’ve got all the answers for you.

What Determines the Shoe Size for Men

The most significant, and perhaps only, determining factor of your shoe size are your feet.

Foot size, as numerous other traits, including height, is primarily dominated by genes. There’s a well-established connection between our height and our shoe size.

Connection Between Height and Foot Length

Our feet are the base that supports the rest of the body, and they’re crucial for maintaining proper balance. They comprise tendons, muscles and ligaments that prevent us from falling over.

If you are tall, you need a larger base to keep your balance and support your body weight. So, tall people, on average, have bigger shoe sizes.

There’s a vague height-to-foot ratio. The “normal” rate is about 6.6:1, meaning you’ll have approximately 6.6 inches of height per 1-inch of foot length.

However, this is a rough estimation—most people use a smaller or larger shoe than the result of calculating this ratio. Diets and lifestyles are two other contributors to bone length and health.

For instance, studies show that eating foods high in proteins, vitamins and other vital nutrients from an early age can make you taller. This may affect your foot size.

Can Your Foot Size Change Over Time?

Feet can grow or expand as you age. This is in part because of weight gain that additionally pressures your lower ligaments. Another cause is the loss of elasticity in the ligaments and tendons.

Because of this, you’re likely to need a larger shoe size in your 50s than you wore during your 20s. Please check out our review of the best running shoes for older runners.

How to Determine Your Shoe Size

Shoe sizes have two measurements: the length and width. The number on the shoe indicates the length of the shoe, which is what we generally refer to when discussing our size.

Some shoes also have a letter, which indicates the width of the shoe. Most footwear for men comes in medium width, a “D” following the number shows this.

There are also specialty widths for male shoes. These range from A or 2A (extra narrow), B (narrow), E or 2E (wide) and 4E+ (extra-wide).

You have several ways to determine your shoe size. You can go to almost any footwear store and get measured.

If that’s not an option, you can easily find the right sizes from home using basic tools.

Here’s what you need:

• Piece of paper.
• Tape measure.
• Pen.
• Socks (optional).

Here’s what you do:

1. Place the paper on the floor. You can fasten it with tape if it slides too much.
2. Use your pen to mark the circumference of your foot. Make sure you keep the pen straight.
3. Step off the paper and grab your measuring tape.
4. Measure from the heel to the furthest point on your toes. After this, you need to inspect the width. Measure between the widest points—generally the ball, right before the toes.
5. Write down the results and consult a shoe size chart that matches foot length to shoe size. Repeat with the other foot.

Pro Tips

• Take measurements at the end of the day. Your feet are likely to have expanded slightly, so waiting to measure ensures you get the shoe size right.

• Wear socks of a typical thickness you’ll wear with the shoe when you measure. This ensures the shoes won’t become too snug.

• Consult the size chart of the brand of footwear you’re looking to purchase. Sizes aren’t uniform across manufacturers or styles.

The Average Shoe Size for Men in the US

For the United States, there isn’t an official number for the average shoe size for men. However, the average male aged 20 years and up, with a height of 5 feet 10.9 inches, wears a shoe size 10.5.

Men who are taller than 6 feet 2 inches, on average, wear a size 11 to 12 in shoes. For men shorter than 5 feet 5 inches, the average shoe size is around seven to nine.

Average Shoe Size for Men Worldwide

Worldwide, the average male shoe size tends to fall between a nine and a 12. It highly depends on the specific country.

In regions where food sources are scarce, the height tends to be smaller, ultimately affecting the average shoe size.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Size 11 Feet Big for a Guy?

An 11 shoe size for men isn’t that unusual. Finding a size 11 in the men’s department is relatively common—most footwear stores offer options ranging up to a size 12.

Large shoe sizes typically start at 12—footwear bigger than this isn’t standard. Examples of companies that do offer larger sizes include Adidas and Nike, with the former providing a size 20. Check out our Adidas Pure Boost vs. Ultra Boost comparison for more info on sizes.

What Is the Average Shoe Size for a 6-Foot Man?

For men with a height of 6 feet, the average shoe size is 11.5. Although, this isn’t relatable for everyone—instead, you may want to flex the range to give or take an inch. This would make the average range fall within 11 to 12.5.

What Shoe Size Is Small for Men?

Small shoe sizes are those under 8. With these sizes, it’s challenging to find the right adult shoe off the rack. If your feet are smaller than this, you may need to look into youth sizes.

If you struggle to find the right size, please read our guide on how to wear shoes that are too big.

The Takeaway

Wanting to know the average foot size for men—whether you’re looking to purchase a gift or see if your feet are normal—is common. The average size for a 5 feet 10.5-inch man in the United States is about a 10.5.

Keep in mind that this is just an estimation, and it isn’t the most common shoe size for men. The length of your feet depends on several factors—height is only the most significant determiner. Because of this, shoe sizes for men of the same height can vary massively.

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