What is a 27 Inch Waist?

A 27-inch waist is a circumference measurement around the abdomen. And you can use this number for everything from buying clothing to assessing your risk for health problems like heart disease and diabetes.

But it’s critical to measure your waist correctly to know if it really is 27 inches around.

How to Measure Your Waist

To check your waist size, you will need a flexible tape measure. First, wrap the tape measure around your waist parallel to the floor just above your hip bone.

Now pull the tape snug but not so tight that it indents into your skin. Also, take the reading at the end of a normal exhale but do not suck in your stomach. The number where the end of the tape intersects is your waist size.

27-Inch Waist Statistics

Generally speaking, a 27-inch waist is on the small side. However, the likelihood of a 27-inch waist depends on your gender and overall fitness. So let’s look at some waist size statistics for men and women.

Is a 27-Inch Waist Small for Women?

The average waist size for American women is 35.6 inches. That means a 27-inch waist would be smaller than 95% of average women.

However, it’s important to remember that 3 out of 4 adult women in the US are overweight or obese. So you might not want to compare yourself to the general population.

A survey of women in the US Army, who are generally more fit, shows that their average waist size is 28.2 inches. And a 27-inch waist falls somewhere between the 25th and 40th percentiles, or slightly smaller than the typical fit woman.

27 Inch Waist FAQ

Now you know how big a 27-inch waist is for men and women. But you might have more questions about this topic. So here are some quick answers to common queries.

What size is a 27 inch waist?

A 27-inch waist typically corresponds to a US dress size of 2-4, which is about 32-34 in Euro sizes. Additionally, this waist circumference should put you in an international size Extra Small (XS) for women’s clothing.

What pants size is a 27 inch waist?

A waist size of 27 inches generally corresponds to a pant size of 26-28 for women. So your jeans size doesn’t necessarily reflect your actual waist size.

One reason for this is that the waist measurement site is sometimes different than where your pants’ waistline sits. In addition, your actual waist size may not reflect your pant size if you have thicker thighs or a bigger butt.

Is a 27 inch waist good for a woman?

For women, a 27-inch waist is roughly 9″ smaller than the average female’s. And even among fit women, a 27-inch waist is on the small side. So it’s a good target for overall health and fitness.

However, your ideal waist size depends on your body type and height. So take that into consideration when setting realistic fitness goals.