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What is the average erect and flaccid penis length in the United States by age group?
Executive summary
Published medical reviews and systematic summaries place the average erect adult penis length in the roughly 5.1–5.5 inch (12.9–14.0 cm) range, and many health sites say flaccid averages are roughly 3.5–4.0 inches (8.9–10.2 cm), with most growth occurring through puberty and stabilizing by about age 21 [1] [2] [3]. Detailed, US-specific breakdowns by fine-grained age groups (for example year-by-year averages across adolescence and adulthood) are not present in the provided reporting; available sources report general age ranges and overall adult averages rather than a comprehensive age-by-age U.S. table [4] [5] [6].
1. What the major summaries say — a narrow consensus on adult erect length
Multiple medical and health-review outlets cite a consistent central estimate for adult erect length: about 5.1 to 5.5 inches (12.9–13.97 cm) as the most defensible average based on pooled studies and reviews; Medical News Today and other summaries repeat that range as the best current scientific consensus [1] [7]. Wikipedia’s compilation of measurement studies likewise notes that clinically measured studies tend to give averages near that same band, and that self-reported surveys often inflate numbers [5].
2. Flaccid length and “stretched” length — different measures, different meanings
Reporting emphasizes that flaccid, stretched, and erect measurements are distinct and not interchangeable: a “stretched” length sometimes correlates with erect length but not perfectly, and studies show considerable variation in flaccid measures depending on temperature, technique and observer [5]. Health sites commonly cite mean flaccid values near roughly 3.5–4.0 inches (about 9–10 cm) for adults, but those values vary across studies and measurement methods [3] [4].
3. Growth timeline — when most change happens
Sources agree that most penile growth occurs during puberty and stabilizes by late adolescence or early adulthood, commonly around age 21; one review says length and girth tend to stabilize by 21 [2] [6]. Pediatric-focused guides list approximate flaccid size ranges through childhood and adolescence but emphasize broad individual variation and that published adolescent data differ by study [4].
4. Limits of available data — no detailed U.S. age-group table in these sources
None of the provided sources presents a comprehensive, peer-reviewed U.S.-specific table that gives average erect and flaccid length for narrow age brackets (e.g., 10–12, 13–15, 16–18, 19–21, 22–30, etc.). The Parents.com summary cites age-related ranges based on clinical teaching and older references but acknowledges that published data on adolescents and adults vary by source; Wikipedia and medical reviews compile worldwide study results rather than a U.S.-only, age-stratified dataset [4] [5] [1].
5. Measurement biases and why numbers vary
Experts cited in the sources warn that method matters: self-measured and self-reported surveys typically yield larger averages than clinician-measured studies because of volunteer and reporting biases [5]. Temperature, measurement protocol (flaccid vs stretched vs erect), and participant selection (clinical vs online volunteers) produce systematic differences between studies [5] [1].
6. Practical takeaways and clinical definitions
Clinically, “micropenis” is defined by a statistical cutoff (about 2.5 standard deviations below the mean for age), and precise assessment matters for medical decisions; for most people, penis size stabilizes after puberty and falls near the adult average band cited above [4] [2]. Medical reviews also highlight that perceptions of “normal” often exceed measured averages, which can drive unnecessary cosmetic procedures [1].
7. If you need age-specific numbers — what to do next
Because the supplied reporting lacks a validated, U.S.-only, age-by-age table, the responsible next steps are: consult peer-reviewed pediatric growth studies or systematic reviews that explicitly publish age-stratified penile measurements; ask a pediatric urologist or endocrinologist for clinical growth charts; or request the specific datasets cited in meta-analyses underlying the 5.1–5.5 inch adult average (noted in public reviews) to see age breakdowns if they exist [1] [5] [4].
Limitations: The above synthesizes only the provided sources; they agree on a general adult erect average (5.1–5.5 inches) and on puberty-driven growth stabilizing by about age 21, but they do not supply a comprehensive U.S. age-group table broken out by flaccid and erect averages [1] [2] [3].