Presidents Ranked From Tallest To Shortest

August 27, 2024 | Sarah Ng

Presidents Ranked From Tallest To Shortest


How Tall Was The President?

From the Founding Fathers to the nation's modern leaders, these are all of the American presidents ranked from tallest to shortest. 

President-Heights-Msn

Abraham Lincoln

Height: 6 ft 4 in    

Abraham Lincoln served in office from 1861 to 1865. He was the 16th president and oversaw the country throughout the American Civil War. He was assassinated at Ford's Theater by John Wilkes Booth.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Abraham Lincoln in a dark suitAlexander Gardner, Wikimedia Commons

Lyndon B. Johnson

Height: 6 ft 3.5 in

Lyndon Baines Johnson served in office from 1963 to 1969. Previously, he was the vice president during John F. Kennedy's administration but he took over for Kennedy after he was assassinated. He was the 36th president of the United States.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of Lyndon B. Johnson in a dark suitOscar White, Wikimedia Commons

Donald Trump

Height: 6 ft 3 in

Before becoming the 45th president, Donald Trump was a celebrity businessman. He was in office from 2017 to 2021, and is the only president to have been impeached twice.

Portrait Photo of Donald Trump speaking at CPAC in Washington D.C.Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Thomas Jefferson

Height: 6 ft 2.5 in

Thomas Jefferson was a Founding Father who served the country from 1801 to 1809. He was the 3rd president and the main author of the Declaration of Independence.

Official Presidential Portrait Of Thomas Jefferson By Rembrandt PealeRembrandt Peale, Wikimedia Commons

Bill Clinton

Height: 6 ft 2.5 in

Bill Clinton—or William Jefferson Clinton—was the 42nd president. He was in office from 1993 to 2001. However, his second term took a scandalous turn thanks to his affair with Monika Lewinsky, an intern who worked in the White House.

Official Portrait of President William Jefferson Clinton in a dark suitNational Archives and Records Administration, Wikimedia Commons

Chester A. Arthur

Height: 6 ft 2 in    

Chester Alan Arthur assumed the presidency after President James A. Garfield was assassinated. As the 21st president, he served in office from 1881 to 1885.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of of U.S. President, Chester Alan Arthur in a dark suitCharles Milton Bell, Wikimedia Commons

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Height: 6 ft 2 in

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or FDR, was the 32nd president who served four terms (from 1933 to 1945)—the only president to do so. He had to handle the crisis of the Great Depression throughout his first two terms, and then faced WWII during his last two terms.

Original color transparency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt taken at 1944 Official Campaign Portrait session by Leon A. PerskieLeon Perskie, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

George H. W. Bush

Height: 6 ft 2 in

George H. W. Bush was the 41st president and served in office from 1989 to 1993. Previous to this, he was the vice president under Ronald Reagan.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President George H. W. Bush in a dark blue suitUnknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

George Washington

Height: 6 ft 1.5 in

George Washington was a Founding Father and the 1st president of the United States. He served from 1789 to 1797 and became known as the "Father of his Country." Before becoming president, he was the president of the Constitutional Convention, which was responsible for the Constitution of the United States.

Portrait Painting of of U.S. President George Washington in a dark suitGilbert Stuart, Wikimedia Commons

Barack Obama

Height: 6 ft 1.5 in

As the 44th president of the US, Barack Hussein Obama II served in office from 2009 to 2017. He made history by becoming the very first Black president.

Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama in a dark suitPete Souza, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Andrew Jackson

Height: 6 ft 1 in

Before becoming the 7th president, Andrew Jackson had gained notoriety as a US Army general. He served from 1829 to 1837. Many have reprehended the way he treated Native Americans, as well as racial policies in general.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Andrew Jackson in a dark suitMathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

John F. Kennedy

Height: 6 ft 1 in

John Fitzgerald Kennedy—popularly referred to as JFK—was the 35th president, and the youngest one ever elected. His term began in 1961, but it was abruptly cut short after Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated Kennedy in 1963.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President John F. Kennedy in the Oval OfficeCecil Stoughton, Wikimedia Commons

Ronald Reagan

Height: 6 ft 1 in

Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States, serving from 1981 to 1989. Before turning to politics, he worked in radio and film. By the time he left the world of acting, Reagan had starred in 53 films.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Ronald Reagan in a dark blue suitPete Souza, Wikimedia Commons

James Monroe

Height: 6 ft 0 in

James Monroe was the final Founding Father to become a president. He served as the 5th president from 1817 to 1825—a term which saw the Era of Good Feelings. Monroe also introduced the Monroe Doctrine—an important policy that restricted Europe from colonizing the Americas.

Portrait Painting of U.S. President James MonroeSamuel Finley Breese Morse, Wikimedia Commons

John Tyler

Height: 6 ft 0 in

John Tyler served from 1841 to 1845 as the 10th president. Previously he had been the vice president, but when President William Henry Harrison passed just 31 days into his term, Tyler became the first vice president to assume the role of president.

Portrait Painting of President John Tyler, half-length portrait, facing rightMathew Brady, Wikimedia Commons

James Buchanan

Height: 6 ft 0 in

As the 15th president of the United States, James Buchanan Jr. served in office from 1857 to 1861. He was deeply criticized for not taking action that could have prevented the Civil War. Many historians and academics count Buchanan as one of the nation's worst presidents.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President James Buchanan in a dark suitMathew Brady, Wikimedia Commons

James A. Garfield

Height: 6 ft 0 in

James Abram Garfield had a brief term in office. Though elected in March 1881, the 20th president became the victim of an assassination attempt in July of the same year. Though he initially survived, Garfield passed a few months later in September from sepsis.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President James Abram Garfield in a dark suitBrady-Handy Photograph Collection, Wikimedia Commons

Warren G. Harding

Height: 6 ft 0 in

Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 19th president. Though his term began in 1921, it ended in 1923 after he passed away from a heart attack. He was 57 years old. In the wake of this tragedy, scandals haunted his legacy. This included his affair with Nan Britton as well as the Teapot Dome scandal.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Warren G Harding in a dark suitHarris & Ewing, Wikimedia Commons

Gerald Ford

Height: 6 ft 0 in

Gerald Ford served as the 38th president, taking over for Richard in 1974. He was in office until 1977, but lost the next election. One of his most criticized decisions? When he pardoned Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Gerald Ford in a blue suitDavid Hume Kennerly, Wikimedia Commons

Joe Biden

Height: 6 ft 0 in

Joe Biden is the current president of the United States and is currently running in the 2024 presidential election. He is the 46th president, assuming office in 2021. Before this, he was the vice president through Barack Obama's administration.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Joe Biden in a blue suitThe White House, Wikimedia Commons

William Howard Taft

Height: 5 ft 11.5 in

As the 27th president of the United States, William Howard Taft served in office from 1909 to 1913. He was the only person to fill the roles of both president and chief justice. He served as chief justice from 1921 to 1930.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President William Howard Taft in a dark suitPach Brothers, Wikimedia Commons

Herbert Hoover

Height: 5 ft 11.5 in

Herbert Hoover was the 31st president of the United States, serving from 1929 to 1933. Before his term in office, he was a rich mining engineer. During his time in office, he had to tackle the beginning of the Great Depression.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Herbert Hoover in a dark suitLibrary of Congress, Wikimedia Commons

Richard Nixon

Height: 5 ft 11.5 in

Richard Nixon served as the 37th president from 1969 to 1974. Though he was elected for a second term, it was scandalously cut short thanks to the Watergate Scandal. Nixon has been the only US president to resign.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Richard Nixon in a blue suitDepartment of Defense, Wikimedia Commons

George W. Bush

Height: 5 ft 11.5 in

George Walker Bush is the son of the former president, George H.W. Bush. From 2001 to 2009, he served as the 43rd president of the United States. Before his time in office, he was the governor of Texas.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President George W. Bush in a dark suitEric Draper, Wikimedia Commons

Grover Cleveland

Height: 5 ft 11 in

Grover Cleveland served non-consecutive presidential terms, making him the only US president to do so. His first term spanned from 1885 to 1889, while the second was from 1893 to 1897. This meant he was both the 22nd and 24th president.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Grover Cleveland in a dark suitNational Archives at College Park, Wikimedia Commons

Woodrow Wilson

Height: 5 ft 11 in

Woodrow Wilson saw the beginning of WWI in 1917. As the 28th president, he served from 1913 to 1921.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Thomas Woodrow Wilson in a dark suitHarris & Ewing, Wikimedia Commons

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Height: 5 ft 10.5 in

Before becoming the 34th president of the US, Dwight D. Eisenhower was a statesman and high-ranking military officer who served during WWII. During his time in office from 1953 to 1961, the country's economy thrived, excepting one brief recession.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in a gray suitWhite House, Wikimedia Commons

Franklin Pierce

Height: 5 ft 10 in

Franklin Pierce was the 14th president of the United States and served from 1853 to 1857. His personal life was tragic as all three of his children passed away.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Franklin Pierce in dark suitUnknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Andrew Johnson

Height: 5 ft 10 in

Serving from 1865 to 1869, Andrew Johnson became the 17th president of the US after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. He has since been criticized for being against federally guaranteed rights for Black citizens.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Andrew Johnson in a dark suitMathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

Theodore Roosevelt

Height: 5 ft 10 in

Sometimes called T.R. or Teddy, Theodore Roosevelt served from 1901 to 1909 as the 26th president of the US. Before assuming this position, he was the vice president under President William McKinley.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in a dark suitPach Brothers, Wikimedia Commons

Calvin Coolidge

Height: 5 ft 10 in

From 1923 to 1929, Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president. Though he served for two terms, he decided against running for a third time as it would be "longer than any other man has had it—too long!"

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge in a dark suitNotman Studio, Wikimedia Commons

Jimmy Carter

Height: 5 ft 9. 5 in

James Earl Carter Jr. served from 1977 to 1981. He was the 29th president and lived to be 99 years old, making him the US president who lived the longest.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Jimmy Carter in a dark blue suitDepartment of Defense, Wikimedia Commons

Millard Fillmore

Height: 5 ft 9 in

From 1850 to 1853, Millard Fillmore served as the 13th president of the US. He assumed the position after the passing of President Zachary Taylor.

 Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Millard Fillmore seatedMathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

Harry S. Truman

Height: 5 ft 9 in

Harry S. Truman assumed the position of 33rd president of the US following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was in office from 1945 to 1953. Following WWII, he executed the Marshall Plan.

Portrait Photo of U.S. President Harry S. Truman in a dark suitNational Archives and Records Administration, Wikimedia Commons

Rutherford B. Hayes

Height: 5 ft 8.5 in

The 19th president of the US, Rutherford Birchard Hayes, served from 1877 to 1881. He was an abolitionist who fought in the American Civil War where he became known for his bravery.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Rutherford Hayes in a dark suitMathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

William Henry Harrison

Height: 5 ft 8 in 

William Henry Harrison was the 9th president of the US, serving the shortest term in the country's history—from March 4 to April 4, 1841. He was the first to die during a presidency. This caused a serious problem as succession rules weren't fully fleshed out at the time.

Portrait Painting of U.S. President William Henry HarrisonAlbert Gallatin Hoit, Wikimedia Commons

James K. Polk

Height: 5 ft 8 in

James Knox Polk was Andrew Jackson's protégé. He became the 11th president in 1845, serving until 1849.

United States president James Knox Polk, three-quarter length portraitBrady, Mathew B, Wikimedia Commons

Zachary Taylor

Height: 5 ft 8 in

As the 12th president of the US, Zachary Taylor began his short term in 1849 and passed the next year from a stomach disease. His time as president has been described as "more a forgettable president than a failed one."

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Zachary Taylor in a dark outfitZachary Taylor, Wikimedia Commons

Ulysses S. Grant

Height: 5 ft 8 in

Ulysses S. Grant worked to achieve better civil rights and helped establish the Justice Department. He was the 18th president and served from 1869 to 1877.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant in a dark suitBrady-Handy Photograph Collection, Wikimedia Commons

John Quincy Adams

Height: 5 ft 7.5 in

John Quincy Adams was the 6th president, serving from 1817 to 1825. His father, John Adams, had been the nation's 2nd president. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President John Quincy Adams in a dark suitMathew Brady, Wikimedia Commons

John Adams

Height: 5 ft 7 in

Serving from 1797 to 1801, John Adams was the 2nd president and a Founding Father. He was one of the leaders of the American Revolution, as well as the first vice president. One of his friends was also a political opponent: Thomas Jefferson.

Portrait Painting of U.S. President John Adams in a dark suitNational Gallery of Art, Wikimedia Commons

William McKinley

Height: 5 ft 7 in

William McKinley saw the end of the Spanish-American War. He was the 25th president, but he was also the final president to serve in the American Civil War. He began his term in 1897, but was assassinated in 1901.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President William McKinley in a dark suitUnknown Author, Wikimedia Commons

Martin Van Buren

Height: 5 ft 6 in    

Martin Van Buren was the 8th president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841. He continued in politics during his later years, not only as a statesman but also as one of the leaders of the anti-slavery movement.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Martin Van Buren in a dark suitMathew Benjamin Brady, Wikimedia Commons

Benjamin Harrison

Height: 5 ft 6 in  

Though Benjamin Harrison's time in office was pretty uneventful, many have applauded his stance on voting rights for Black Americans. Serving from 1889 to 1893, he was the 23rd president. He had two presidents in his family: His grandfather was William Henry Harrison and his great-grandfather was Benjamin Harrison V.

Grayscale Portrait Photo of U.S. President Benjamin Harrison in a dark suitJoseph Gray Kitchell, Wikimedia Commons

James Madison

Height: 5 ft 4 in

James Madison may have been the shortest president, but he was also very important when it came to the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. He served from 1809 to 1817 as the 4th president, and earned the moniker "Father of the Constitution." He was also one of the Founding Fathers.

Portrait Painting of James Madison the fourth President of the United StatesJohn Vanderlyn, Wikimedia Commons


More from Factinate

Featured Article

My mom never told me how her best friend died. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery.

Dark Family Secrets

Dark Family Secrets Exposed

Nothing stays hidden forever—and these dark family secrets are proof that when the truth comes out, it can range from devastating to utterly chilling.
April 8, 2020 Samantha Henman

Featured Article

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.

Madame de Pompadour Facts

Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress

Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark history—or the chilling secret shared by her and Louis.
December 7, 2018 Kyle Climans

More from Factinate

Featured Article

I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life.

These People Got Genius Revenges

When someone really pushes our buttons, we'd like to think that we'd hold our head high and turn the other cheek, but revenge is so, so sweet.
April 22, 2020 Scott Mazza

Featured Article

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but few people know her even darker history.

Catherine of Aragon Facts

Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife

Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIII’s rejected queen—but very few people know her even darker history.
June 7, 2018 Christine Tran



Dear reader,


Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? We’re always looking for your input! Please reach out to us to let us know what you’re interested in reading. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from “Life” to “Compact Cars and Trucks” to “A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius.” We’ll get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics you’re interested in. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your time!


Do you question the accuracy of a fact you just read? At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. Our credibility is the turbo-charged engine of our success. We want our readers to trust us. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. When we do, we depend on our loyal, helpful readers to point out how we can do better. Please let us know if a fact we’ve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect it’s inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,



The Factinate team




Want to learn something new every day?

Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter.

Thank you!

Error, please try again.