What’s the average penis size?

Only 55% of men are satisfied with their penis size.¹ But the average penis size is smaller than most men think: 3.6 inches (9.2 cm) flaccid and 5.2 inches (13.1 cm) erect, according to a review of more than 15,000 men. So you can skip the sports car, the luxury watch, and the fancy pen.²

Here's what the research says.

Average penis size

You've probably heard the magic number of 6 inches. It isn't based on science. A systematic review of over 15,000 men found the average flaccid penis measures 3.6 inches (9.2 cm), while the average erect penis is 5.2 inches (13.1 cm).³

The 6-inch figure comes from self-reported measurements, where men were unsurprisingly generous.

What about girth?

The same review measured girth too. The average circumference is 3.7 inches (9.3 cm) flaccid and 4.6 inches (11.7 cm) erect.³ If you're checking at home, wrap a soft tape measure around the thickest part of the shaft. And measure length along the top, from the base to the tip.

Grower or shower: fact or fiction?

A new sexual encounter probably begins with you saying, "I'm a grower." But is this urban legend true?

Research presented at the European Association of Urology congress put numbers on it. Men whose penis grows by 56% or more from flaccid to erect count as growers, while an increase of less than 31% makes you a shower.⁴

Most of the 225 men in the study were neither. Only 24% were growers and 25% were showers. The rest sat somewhere in between, so there's no way everyone can claim to be a grower.

What size do women prefer?

It really depends on the person. Some might get a kick out of a large penis, whereas others might even find it painful.

According to one study, women prefer an erect penis of a slightly larger length for a one-time encounter (6.4 inches) than for a long-term partner (6.3 inches).⁵ In the same study, men assumed more women wanted a longer penis than the women actually did. And most men seeking surgery to increase their size already fell within the normal range.

When you consider that only 18% of women achieve orgasm through penetration alone,⁶ and 85% of women are perfectly happy with their partner's size,¹ it's clear the size of your penis isn't the be-all and end-all.

There are other measures of sex too. Maybe you want to last longer or stay hard when the moment arrives. Or maybe you'd like to try something new in the bedroom. Ultimately, talking to your partner is always the best way to deal with any worries.

What else affects penis size?

Beyond the obvious, your penis is constantly changing in size. You don't want to be caught with your pants down on a particularly cold day.

Let's take a look.

The temperature

Like a baby holding onto its mother for dear life, your penis moves closer to the body for warmth when cold. Your body goes all out to protect its most valuable commodity. The reverse applies when it's hot, and your testicles hang low to pick up the northerly breeze.

As you age

As you get older, your erections may falter. And you thought getting old was bad enough already. From about age 40, a man's testosterone levels naturally decline by about 1% every year.⁷ You may not notice at first, but over time this can mean lower libido and weaker erections. A simple testosterone blood test can tell you where you stand.

Weight gain

After gaining weight, your penis might look smaller. In reality, it just looks smaller compared to the rest of your body. Belly fat extends over the base of the penis, making it appear shorter. Your vantage point of looking down on it doesn't help either. It's the same approach as taking that elusive flattering dick pic. It's all about the angles.

Drug use

You may have heard the terms pilly willy or whiskey dick. After a night of painting the town red, your appendage might react badly. Cocaine, MDMA, and alcohol interfere with your body, resulting in shrinkage or the inability to get an erection.⁸

The numan take

You probably care about the size of your penis. Most men do. But the average is smaller than you think, and your partner cares far less than you do. Focus on how you use it, and on the things you can actually change: your erections, your stamina, and your health. Our five tips for better penis health are a good place to start.

References

^{1 Lever, J., Frederick, D. A., & Peplau, L. A. (2006). Does size matter? Men's and women's views on penis size across the lifespan. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 7(3), 129–143. https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.7.3.129}

^{2 Richardson, D. C., Devlin, J. T., & Hogan, J. S. (2023). Small penises and fast cars: Evidence for a psychological link. PsyArXiv. https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/uy7ph}

^{3 Veale, D., Miles, S., Bramley, S., Muir, G., & Hodsoll, J. (2015). Am I normal? A systematic review and construction of nomograms for flaccid and erect penis length and circumference in up to 15,521 men. BJU International, 115(6), 978–986. https://doi.org/10.1111/bju.13010}

^{4 European Association of Urology. (2023, March). Difference between "growers" and "showers" revealed [Press release]. UroToday. https://www.urotoday.com/conference-highlights/eau-annual-congress-2023/eau-2023-press-releases/143104-difference-between-growers-and-showers-revealed.html}

^{5 Prause, N., Park, J., Leung, S., & Miller, G. (2015). Women's preferences for penis size: A new research method using selection among 3D models. PLOS ONE, 10(9), e0133079. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0133079}

^{6 Herbenick, D., Fu, T.-C., Arter, J., Sanders, S. A., & Dodge, B. (2018). Women's experiences with genital touching, sexual pleasure, and orgasm: Results from a U.S. probability sample of women ages 18 to 94. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 44(2), 201–212. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1346530}

^{7 Feldman, H. A., Longcope, C., Derby, C. A., Johannes, C. B., Araujo, A. B., Coviello, A. D., Bremner, W. J., & McKinlay, J. B. (2002). Age trends in the level of serum testosterone and other hormones in middle-aged men: Longitudinal results from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 87(2), 589–598. https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.87.2.8201}

^{8 Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Erectile dysfunction.}