Introduction
A president’s height probably isn’t the first thing you wonder about, but it is a question that many people get curious about, and that might leave you wondering how tall Joe Biden is, and how he compares to the presidents that have gone before him. Is he a tall president, a short president, or somewhere in between?
Joe Biden is approximately 6 feet tall (1.83 meters), which is a little over the average for an American man. Joe Biden was born in 1942, when the average would have been approximately 5 foot 7 inches (1.75 meters). He’s not the tallest president in US history, but he’s certainly not short!
Let’s find out more about Joe Biden’s height, weight, and age, and then compare these stats to those of other US presidents and world leaders so we can understand how he fits into this picture.
How Tall Is Joe Biden?
Joe Biden is 6 feet tall, surpassing the average American man by approximately 3 inches (the average is 5 foot 9 inches). He is therefore a fairly tall man, and his height has come under a lot of scrutiny, especially since his presidential campaign in 2020.
The interest in his height arose from the idea that the taller of the two individuals running for presidency is usually the winner, although it’s very clear that this is a myth, rather than a fact. However, some studies have indicated that being tall can increase a president’s appeal, giving them an edge over shorter candidates.
This may be because people look for factors that they perceive as strong when choosing a leader, and so subconsciously lean toward selecting leaders who are above the average height. It’s possible that Joe Biden’s height gave him an edge in his campaign, although this was probably not a significant factor in the decisions of many voters.
How much height really factors into the decisions about leadership remains unclear, but it is notable that many of America’s leaders have been above the average height for their time. However, since Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump, who is taller than him, It’s obviously not a deciding factor – which will be a relief for many defenders of democracy to hear.
It’s also worth noting that Joe Biden’s current height may not reflect how tall he was in his prime. The 6 feet estimate has been taken from a medical examination that he had done in February 2023, and given that he’s in his 80s, it’s reasonable to believe that he may once have been an inch or two taller.
Who Was The Tallest US President?
As mentioned, the US has had a lot of tall presidents, and the tallest was Abraham Lincoln, who stood at around 6 foot 4 inches (1.93 meters).
Lincoln is somewhat famous for his stature, particularly because the average height for American males has risen in recent decades. Lincoln was born in 1809, and by 1820, the average height for an American man was only 5 foot 8 inches (1.72 meters). That means he was almost a foot above the average height for his era – no wonder he is known for his height.
It’s interesting to note that the average height for a US president is estimated to be around 5 foot 11 inches (1.80 meters), so Joe Biden is very close to the average. This further supports the idea that Americans tend to choose tall presidents.
Joe Biden replaced Donald Trump, who was 6 foot 3 inches (1.91 meters).19 of America’s presidents have been 6 feet or taller, while 26 have been under. The shortest US president was James Madison, who was only 5 foot 4 inches (1.63 meters).
How Does Joe Biden Compare With Other World Leaders?
Joe Biden is tall, but you might be wondering how he compares with other world leaders. Do other countries also tend to lean toward tall leaders?
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, is around 5 foot 8 inches (1.73 meters), making him slightly shorter than Joe Biden. The German prime minister, Olaf Scholz, is 5 foot 5 inches (1.65 meters).
Britain’s prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is 5 foot 7 inches (1.70 meters). Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, is around the same height, 5 foot 7 inches. Interestingly, Putin has been accused of having the Napoleon Complex, despite being only about 3 inches shorter than Joe Biden. On the other hand, Putin’s height has been hotly disputed, with some people claiming he wears lifts in his shoes.
This makes Joe Biden among the taller leaders in the world at the moment, although the tallest is Montenegro’s leader, Filip Vujanović, who is an incredible 6 foot 7 inches (2.01 meters). He would tower over Joe Biden.
How Old Is Joe Biden?
Joe Biden is 80 years old, and will turn 81 in November 2023. He was inaugurated at the age of 78, making him the oldest US president to date, followed by Donald Trump, who was 70 years old when he was inaugurated.
The youngest US president was Theodore Roosevelt, who was inaugurated at 42 years old. The majority of US presidents have been over 50 years old, but 9 of them have been under 50 (with none under 40).
Some people are concerned about the trend toward older politicians, and worry that we should be looking for younger individuals to maximize their ability to handle current issues. Others believe that with age comes experience, and that older individuals are more capable of doing the job. This was one of the hot debates surrounding Joe Biden’s candidacy.
How Much Does Joe Biden Weigh?
Joe Biden is said to weigh 215 lb (97 kg), which puts him at slightly over the recommended BMI for his height.
Conclusion
As you can see, Joe Biden is around 6 feet tall, putting him a little above the average for an American man. He is also taller than some other significant world leaders, although he is by no means the tallest. The tallest US president in history remains Abraham Lincoln.
