Healthy Blood Pressure by Age and Gender (Chart)
Blood pressure is the force your blood exerts against the walls of arteries as your heart beats. Blood pressure readings have two numbers, such as 122/79 mm Hg. The descriptor at the end stands for “millimeters of mercury,” which blood pressure gauges used to contain.
The top number (called the systolic pressure) is the force each time your heart beats. The bottom number (diastolic pressure) is the force between beats.
Maintaining healthy blood pressure is important, as readings outside the normal range can be problematic. Untreated high blood pressure, in particular, can damage the blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and brain.
What is Normal Blood Pressure by Age?
What’s considered “normal” blood pressure varies by age in children and teens.
| Systolic | Diastolic | |
| Newborns up to 1 month | 60–90 mm Hg | 20–60 mm Hg |
| Infants | 87–105 mm Hg | 53–66 mm Hg |
| Toddlers | 95–105 mm Hg | 53–66 mm Hg |
| Preschoolers | 95–110 mm Hg | 56–70 mm Hg |
| School-aged children | 97–112 mm Hg | 57–71 mm Hg |
| Adolescents | 112–128 mm Hg | 66–80 mm Hg |
In adulthood, the average blood pressures by age and gender are:
| Women | Men | |
| 18-39 years | 110/68 mm Hg | 119/70 mm Hg |
| 40-59 years | 122/74 mm Hg | 124/77 mm Hg |
| 60+ years | 139/68 mm Hg | 133/69 mm Hg |
Beyond the averages in the blood pressure chart by age and gender above, adult blood pressure falls into one of five categories:
| Category | Systolic | Diastolic | |
| Normal | Less than 120 | and | Less than 80 |
| Elevated | 120–129 | and | Less than 80 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 1 | 130–139 | or | 80 – 89 |
| High Blood Pressure (Hypertension) Stage 2 | 140 or higher | or | 90 or higher |
| Hypertensive Crisis – Consult your doctor immediately | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 |
Taking Your Blood Pressure at Home
You can take your blood pressure at home periodically to determine if it consistently falls within the acceptable blood pressure range by age and gender. This can be particularly helpful to people with what doctors call “white coat hypertension.” That’s elevated blood pressure due to the anxiety over being at the doctor’s office (where they traditionally wear white lab coats).
If you take home readings, be sure to:
- Buy a blood pressure monitor designed to go around your upper arm. Readings from devices that attach to your finger or wrist may not be as accurate.
- Get a monitor that inflates automatically and has a large readout that’s easy to see.
- Be aware that some monitors can share data with an app on your phone for tracking your blood pressure trends.
- Don’t consume beverages containing caffeine or alcohol in the 30 minutes before taking your reading.
- Sit calmly in a chair with your back supported and legs uncrossed for five minutes before checking your blood pressure.
- Have your arm supported and at approximately heart level.
- Put the blood pressure cuff over bare skin.
- Don’t talk or move as the cuff is working.
- Take one reading, leave the cuff on and stay still, then take a second. If the readings are similar, average them. If not, take a third reading and average the three.
- Record the average reading, along with the time of day.
Get Help with Maintaining Healthy, Normal Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure—or low blood pressure, which can also require treatment—your primary care doctor can help you control it. And if needed, they can refer you to the heart care specialists at Baptist Health.
