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The height differences between all the US presidents and first ladies

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George martha washington height difference 2x1While Abraham Lincoln was 6-foot-4, James Madison was a full foot shorter. The shortest first lady was Eliza Johnson at 4 feet 9 inches, and Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump tied for the tallest at 5 feet 11 inches.

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  • While every American president and first lady has reached the same heights of political office and public service, not all reached the White House at the same physical height.
  • John Adams and Abigail Adams were only separated in height by an inch, while Thomas Jefferson was over a foot taller than his wife, Martha Jefferson.
  • We found the heights through online research and speaking with presidential historical sites and libraries, but a few first ladies’ heights have been lost to history.
  • Here is the height difference of every US president and first lady we could find.
George and Martha Washington: 1-foot-2-inches (36 cm)1 george martha washington

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John and Abigail Adams: 1 inch (2 cm)2 john abigail adams

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Thomas and Martha Jefferson: 1-foot-2.5-inches (37 cm)3 thomas martha jefferson

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Jefferson was a widower when his presidency began, and his daughter, Martha, acted as first lady, along with wives of the Cabinet secretaries.

James and Dolley Madison: 3 inches (7 cm)4 james dolley madison

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James and Elizabeth Monroe: 1 foot (31 cm)5 james elizabeth monroe

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John Quincy and Louisa Adams: 1.5 inches (3 cm)6 john quincy louisa adams

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Andrew and Rachel Jackson: 1-foot-1-inch (33 cm)7 andrew rachel jackson

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Rachel Jackson died just months before her husband’s inauguration. Her niece Emily Donelson and his daughter-in-law Sarah Yorke Jackson acted as first lady in her absence.

Martin and Hannah Van Buren: Unknown8 martin van hannah buren

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Martin Van Buren was also a widower, and his daughter-in-law Angelica Singleton Van Buren oversaw the duties of first lady.

William Henry and Anna Harrison: Unknown9 william henry anna harrison

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John and Julia Tyler: 9 inches (23 cm); John and Letitia Tyler: Unknown10 john julia letitia tyler

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Tyler’s first wife, Letitia, died from a stroke while in the White House. He married his second wife, Julia, while still serving as president.

James K. and Sarah Polk: 6 inches (16 cm)11 james sarah polk

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Zachary and Margaret Taylor: Unknown12 zachary margaret taylor

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Millard and Abigail Filmore: 3 inches (7 cm)13 millard abigail filmore

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Franklin and Jane Pierce: 5 inches (13 cm)14 franklin jane pierce

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James Buchanan and Harriet Lane: 5 inches (13 cm)15 james buchanan harriet lane

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Buchanan was a lifelong bachelor. His niece, Harriet Lane, acted as first lady during his term.

Abraham and Mary Lincoln: 1-foot-2-inches (36 cm)16 abraham mary lincoln

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Andrew and Eliza Johnson: 1-foot-1-inch (33 cm)17 andrew eliza johnson

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Ulysses S. and Julia Grant: Unknown18 ulysses julia grant

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Rutherford B. and Lucy Hayes: 4.5 inches (11 cm)19 rutherford lucy hayes

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James A. and Lucretia Garfield: 9 inches (23 cm)20 james lucretia garfield

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Chester A. and Ellen Arthur: Unknown21 chester ellen arthur

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Chester A. Arthur was a widower when he became president after Garfield was shot, and his sister, Mary Arthur McElroy, served as first lady in his wife’s place.

Grover and Frances Cleveland: 4 inches (10 cm)22 24 grover frances cleveland

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Grover Cleveland served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. Cleveland’s two terms were split apart by the presidency of Benjamin Harrison.

He married Frances during his first term, and she took over the duties of White House hostess from his sister, Rose Cleveland.

Benjamin and Caroline Harrison: 5 inches (13 cm)23 benjamin caroline harrison

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William and Ida McKinley: Unknown25 william ida mckinley

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Theodore and Edith Roosevelt: 3 inches (8 cm)26 theodore edith roosevelt

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William Howard and Helen Taft: 7.5 inches (19 cm)27 william helen taft

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Woodrow and Edith Wilson: 2 inches (5 cm); Woodrow and Ellen Wilson: 8 inches (20 cm)28 woodrow edith ellen wilson

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Wilson’s first wife, Ellen, died from an illness during her husband’s presidency. He then remarried in 1915 to his second wife, Edith.

Warren G. and Florence Harding: 5 inches (13 cm)20 warren florence harding

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Calvin and Grace Coolidge: 6 inches (15 cm)21 calvin grace coolidge

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Herbert and Lou Hoover: 3.5 inches (9 cm)31 herbert lou hoover

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Franklin D. and Eleanor Roosevelt: 3 inches (8 cm)32 franklin eleanor roosevelt

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Harry S. and Bess Truman: 5 inches (12 cm)33 harry bess truman

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Dwight D. and Mamie Eisenhower: 9.5 inches (24 cm)34 dwight mamie eisenhower

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John F. and Jackie Kennedy: 5 inches (12 cm)35 john f jackie kennedy

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Lyndon B. and Lady Bird Johnson: 9.5 inches (24 cm)36 lyndon lady bird johnson

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Richard and Pat Nixon: 5.5 inches (14 cm)37 richard pat nixon

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Gerald and Betty Ford: 9 inches (23 cm)38 gerald betty ford

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Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter: 4.5 inches (12 cm)39 jimmy rosalynn carter

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Ronald and Nancy Reagan: 9 inches (22 cm)40 ronald nancy reagan

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George H.W. and Barbara Bush: 11 inches (28 cm)41 george hw barbara bush

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Bill and Hillary Clinton: 8 inches (20 cm)42 bill hillary clinton

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George W. and Laura Bush: 5.5 inches (14 cm)43 george w laura bush

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Barack and Michelle Obama: 2 inches (5 cm)44 barack michelle obama

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Donald and Melania Trump: 3 inches (8 cm)45 donald melania trump

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Joe and Jill Biden: 6 inches (15 cm)Joe Biden and Jill Biden standing in front of a height chart. Joe Biden is 6 feet and Jill Biden is 5 feet 6 inches

Whitehouse photographer/Whitehouse; Alswang, Ralph/Library of Congress; Arif Qazi/Insider;

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