Reference charts
Normal Heart Rate by Age
Resting heart rate is highest in infancy and falls through childhood before levelling off in adulthood at around 70 beats per minute. The table shows US reference percentiles from NHANES 1999–2008 for males and females combined, measured as a seated (or, for small children, resting) pulse in people without conditions or medicines that affect it.
Updated . Educational reference, not medical advice.
Reference Data
| Age | 5th percentile | 25th | Median | 75th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 103 | 116 | 126 | 137 | 156 |
| 1 year | 95 | 108 | 116 | 123 | 138 |
| 2–3 years | 86 | 97 | 105 | 113 | 124 |
| 4–5 years | 75 | 86 | 94 | 102 | 114 |
| 6–8 years | 68 | 78 | 85 | 93 | 105 |
| 9–11 years | 63 | 73 | 81 | 89 | 101 |
| 12–15 years | 58 | 68 | 76 | 85 | 98 |
| 16–19 years | 54 | 64 | 73 | 82 | 95 |
| 20–39 years | 54 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 92 |
| 40–59 years | 54 | 62 | 70 | 78 | 91 |
| 60–79 years | 54 | 62 | 69 | 77 | 91 |
| 80 years and over | 54 | 62 | 70 | 77 | 93 |
Source: Ostchega et al., NCHS National Health Statistics Reports No. 41 (2011), Table 1 (both sexes).
How to read this chart
Values are beats per minute. Half of people in each age group had a pulse below the median and half above; 90% fell between the 5th and 95th percentile. The American Heart Association's 60 to 100 BPM adult range covers most of the adult rows.
Heart rate depends on what you are doing, so "normal" needs a context. The pages below cover each one with its own source: resting heart rate split by sex, heart rate zones for exercise, and the dangerous-range chart that explains when the AHA advises seeking help.
Heart rate charts on ChatPPG
Resting heart rate by age and sex, with an interactive percentile tool: resting heart rate chart. Lowering a high resting pulse with exercise, and what the trials found: how to lower resting heart rate. Exercise intensity: heart rate zones chart, zone 2 heart rate and the max heart rate calculator. During sleep: sleeping heart rate by age. On foot: heart rate while walking. Rates the AHA flags: dangerous heart rate chart. Fitness rather than pulse: VO2 max chart.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal heart rate for my age?
For adults, the AHA gives 60 to 100 BPM at rest. In NHANES the median adult resting pulse was 69 to 71 BPM at every age from 20 to 80+. Children are higher: about 126 BPM under age 1, 94 at ages 4 to 5 and 76 at ages 12 to 15 (medians).
What is a normal heart rate for a child?
It depends on age. NHANES medians were 116 BPM at age 1, 105 at ages 2 to 3, 85 at ages 6 to 8 and 81 at ages 9 to 11. A child's doctor uses age-specific ranges, so ask them about a specific reading.
Is a heart rate of 55 normal?
In NHANES, roughly 5 to 10% of healthy adults had a seated resting pulse of 55 BPM or lower. The AHA notes that a pulse below 60 is common in athletes and with some medicines; it advises talking to a professional if a slow pulse comes with weakness, dizziness or fainting.
References
- Ostchega Y, et al. Resting pulse rate reference data for children, adolescents, and adults: United States, 1999–2008. NHSR No. 41. NCHS; 2011. Table 1. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr041.pdf
- American Heart Association. All about heart rate (pulse). www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/the-facts-about-high-blood-pressure/all-about-heart-rate-pulse