How Big Is a 34 Inch Waist?

By: Jeremy Fox, CNC, CPT – Updated: March 21, 2023

Waist circumference is a universal clothing size, fitness, and general health measurement. But how do you know what is a good waist size for you?

If you have a 34-inch waist, you may wonder if this is big, small, or average. So I will answer all your waist-related questions in this article.

What is a 34 Inch Waist?

A 34-inch waist is the circumference of the abdomen. 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 34 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.

Is 34 Inches a Big Waist?

Generally speaking, a 34-inch waist is fairly average for males or females. But whether it’s big or small really depends on your gender and to whom you’re comparing yourself.

So here are some waist size statistics for women and men.

34 Inch Waist for Women

The average waist size for American women is 35.6 inches. That means a 34-inch waist is slightly below average for females.

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 fitter, shows that their average waist size is 28.2 inches. And a 34-inch waist would put you somewhere around the 97^th percentile, which is significantly larger than average fit women.

Table 1. 34 Inch Waist for Women

	Normal	Fitness
1st	25.4	23.9
5th	27.8	25.1
10th	28.9	25.7
15th	30.0	26.1
20th	30.7	26.5
25th	31.6	26.8
40th	33.9	27.7
50th	35.6	28.2
60th	37.2	28.9
75th	40.3	30.0
80th	41.5	30.5
85th	42.8	31.1
90th	44.7	31.9
95th	47.6	33.2
99th	53.8	35.8

34 Inch Waist for Men

By the same token, the average waist size for an American man is 38.2 inches. And a 34-inch waist would be smaller than about 4 out of 5 average men.

Again, this data comes from the general population of adults, which is largely overweight. So it’s better to compare yourself to fit men, like those in the military.

The average waist size bumps down to 32.8 inches from a sample of active males. So a 34-inch waist is actually larger than 3 out of 5 fit men.

Table 2. 34 Inch Waist for Men

	Normal	Fitness
1st	27.8	27.5
5th	30.0	28.7
10th	31.6	29.5
15th	32.8	30.0
20th	33.9	30.5
25th	34.8	31.0
40th	36.9	32.1
50th	38.2	32.8
60th	39.6	33.6
75th	42.2	35.0
80th	43.4	35.5
85th	44.8	36.2
90th	46.4	37.0
95th	49.5	38.2
99th	56.2	40.5

See Mr. Olympia Chris Bumstead’s 30 Inch Waist

34 Inch Waist FAQ

Now you know how big a 34-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 34 inch waist?

A 34-inch waist typically corresponds to a US dress size of 16-18. Additionally, this waist circumference should put you in an international size XL for other women’s clothing.

At the same time, men with a 34-inch waist would likely fit into a size Large for clothing.

What pants size is a 34 inch waist?

A waist size of 34 inches generally corresponds to a pant size of 33 for women and 33-34for men. So your jeans size doesn’t always reflect your actual waist size.

One reason for this is how you wear your pants. For example, women’s pants tend to sit higher on the waist, close to the measurement site. In contrast, men wear their pants lower on their hips, where their waists might be smaller.

In addition, your true waist size may not reflect your pant size due to your body proportions. For instance, you may need to size up if you have thicker thighs or a bigger butt.

Is a 34 inch waist good for a woman?

For women, a 34-inch waist is a little smaller than average. But, again, the average American woman is overweight, so this waist size probably isn’t a good target if you’re trying to improve your overall health and wellness.

Still, a waist this size could be a reasonable short-term goal if your current waist is much larger. So whether 34 inches is a suitable waist size is relative to where you are now.

In addition, your ideal waist size depends on your body type and height. For instance, a 34-inch waist is worse for a shorter woman than a taller one.

Is a 34 inch waist good for a man?

This waist size is about 4 inches smaller than the typical American man’s. So a 34-inch waist would be a decent target for the average male.

However, a waist size of 34 inches is not great if your goal is to be in shape compared to relatively fit guys. For that, you should aim for a 33-inch waist or smaller.

Again, whether a 34-inch waist size is right for you depends on your body type and overall size.

Waist Size and Body Type

Your waist circumference can be affected by your body type. For example, the ectomorph body type has straighter lines and a naturally smaller waist. By comparison, the endomorph body type has more curves and a thicker waist.

As a result, it’s vital to use specific diet and workout strategies to reduce your waist size based on your body type.

Next Step: Take My Free Body Type Quiz

More Body Measurements

In addition to waist size, you can learn a lot about your health and fitness from other body measurements. So here are some additional articles that I think you’ll find interesting.

20-Inch Thighs for Men & Women

Average Neck Size

Are 16 Inch Arms Big?

Average Male Chest Size by Height

Greek God Body Measurements

Greek God Body

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