Why Is Neck Size Important?

Neck size generally refers to the thickness of your neck and is measured by the circumference (length around). And knowing your neck size can be beneficial for a couple of reasons.

First, it’s good to know your neck size when buying collared shirts. The proper neck measurements ensure that your collar isn’t too tight or loose.

In addition, neck circumference is strongly correlated with body weight, BMI, waist size, and waist-to-hip ratio¹. Therefore, it’s a good predictor of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and sleep apnea.

To illustrate, the chart below shows the relative level of fasting glucose, triglycerides, and blood pressure by neck size. For these metrics, a larger neck size puts you at risk for cardiometabolic diseases².

Average Neck Size Factors

Generally, people with larger frames tend to have thicker necks. So it makes sense that men usually have bigger necks than women.

However, your body weight and composition also affect your neck size. Overweight and obese people tend to have larger necks than thin people due to an accumulation of body fat in the face and neck.

Finally, resistance training and other high-intensity activities build up the traps and neck muscles, giving you a thicker neck.

• Body Size
• Gender
• Body Fat
• Muscle Mass

How to Measure Neck Size

Usually, you should measure your neck’s circumference using a flexible tape or tailor’s tape. The tape should be perpendicular to the long axis of the neck or parallel to the floor. During the measurement, stand upright with your head straight and your shoulders and arms relaxed.

Wrap the flexible tape around your neck and pull it snugly but not so tight that it indents your skin. Then use a mirror or a friend to read the number where the end of the tape overlaps.

If you don’t have a flexible measuring tape, you can also use a piece of string. Then mark where the string overlaps with your finger and pull it straight so you can measure the length with a standard ruler or tape measure.

Finally, you can measure neck circumference in two locations; just below your Adam’s apple or at the base of your neck. The data in this article is from neck measurements taken below the Adam’s apple, as this prevents overestimating neck size and is more representative of your actual collar size.

Average Neck Size Statistics

According to a 2020 study, the average neck size for men is 15.2 inches (38.7 cm). In comparison, the average neck size for women is 13.1 inches (33.3 cm).

However, it’s important to remember that neck circumference strongly correlates with body weight and BMI. So it’s a good idea to account for your BMI to see if your neck is average size.

BMI Calculator

The tables below show neck size by BMI and are subdivided into 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentiles. The 50th percentile is the average neck size at each BMI. While the 25th percentile is below average and the 75th and 90th are above average.

Table 1 shows neck circumferences for men in both inches and centimeters, while table 2 shows neck circumferences for women.

Average Neck Size Charts

Sometimes tables make it hard to visualize the data because our brains can’t compare all those numbers at the same time. So I took the neck circumference data and put them in color-coded charts to help you see small, medium, and large neck sizes.

In the charts below, you can see different shades of green, yellow, and red. Green numbers are the smallest, red numbers are the largest, and yellow numbers are somewhere in between.

Now it’s much easier to see the difference in neck size between males and females of different BMIs. You can see that males generally have larger necks than females. And the higher your BMI, the bigger your neck tends to be.

Average Neck Size for Fit People

Most neck circumference data comes from people in the general population. And you must remember that many people are overweight or obese, which can skew the neck size numbers.

Therefore, it’s essential to include neck circumference data from a healthy population if your goal is to see what your ideal neck size should be. And in general, people in the military tend to have lower BMIs and be in better overall shape.

I’ve compiled neck circumference measurements from the 1988 Anthropometric Survey of US Army Personnel in the table below. So you can see neck sizes for fit men and women.

Average Neck Size FAQ

Now you know the average neck size for men and women. But you might still want more information regarding your neck. So here are some quick answers to the most frequently asked questions.

What is the ideal neck size?

Most people don’t want a skinny neck. And if your neck has too much fat, you could be at risk for health issues and sleep apnea. So the ideal neck size is somewhere in between skinny and fat.

For men, the ideal neck size is generally 14″ to 16″ in circumference. And women should be in the 11-¾” to 13-¼” range for a healthy neck circumference.

Of course, the best neck size for you also depends on your ideal weight and BMI. So use these ranges as a general guideline only and not a hard and fast rule.

Is a 12-inch neck small?

For men, a 12-inch neck is smaller than 99% of other males, even among healthy and fit individuals. So it would be considered extremely small unless you are an adolescent or teenager.

By comparison, 25% of healthy females have a neck 12 inches or smaller in circumference. Therefore, a 12-inch neck is also on the small side for women, although reasonably common if your BMI is normal.

Is 16 inches a big neck?

For men, a 16-inch neck is common if your BMI is over 27.5, which is considered overweight. However, a 16-inch neck would be considered very large among males with a healthy BMI and requires a great deal of muscular development.

Among women, a 16-inch neck is extremely unlikely unless you have a BMI over 40, which is considered the upper end of obesity.