Normal blood pressure is under 120/80 mmHg at any adult age. Average readings do rise with age, mostly the top number, but the medical targets do not move with your birthday. A 65-year-old with 138/85 has a typical reading for their age and a reading that guidelines still call elevated or high. This page shows both numbers side by side so you can see the difference.
What is normal blood pressure by age?
The same thresholds apply to every adult: below 120 systolic and below 80 diastolic is normal, 120–129 over less than 80 is elevated, 130–139 or 80–89 is stage 1 hypertension, and 140 or 90 and above is stage 2. Those cut-offs come from the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association guideline of 2017 and were kept in its 2025 update. European guidance (ESC 2024) draws the line for hypertension at 140/90 and calls 120–139 over 70–89 "elevated"; the NHS uses 140/90 in clinic and 135/85 for home averages.
What does change with age is the average reading in the population. Arteries stiffen, so systolic pressure climbs while diastolic pressure tends to fall after about 60. That is why "normal for my age" and "normal" are different questions.
Blood pressure chart by age and gender
| Age band | Men, typical average | Women, typical average | Guideline "normal" |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–39 | 119/70 | 110/68 | below 120/80 |
| 40–59 | 124/77 | 122/74 | below 120/80 |
| 60 and over | 133/69 | 139/68 | below 120/80 |
The averages come from US population surveys (NHANES) and are rounded; other countries differ by a few points. Two things stand out. Women start lower and end higher than men, largely because pressure rises after menopause. And in the oldest band the diastolic average is lower than in middle age, which is why an older person can have a wide gap such as 150/70.
Is 140 over 90 normal for a 60-year-old?
No. It is common at 60, and it is still stage 2 hypertension in US guidance and the threshold for hypertension in European and NHS guidance. Treatment decisions for older adults are individual: the ACC/AHA target for most adults is below 130/80 if it is tolerated, ESC 2024 aims for 120–129 systolic where tolerated and accepts a looser target for people over 85 or who are frail, and NICE in the UK uses below 150/90 for people over 80. Your clinician weighs the reading against falls, dizziness and other medicines. The number itself, though, is not "normal for your age".
What is a normal blood pressure for a 70- or 80-year-old?
The normal category still starts below 120/80, but the treatment goal is where age matters. For people over 80, most guidelines accept a systolic reading up to 140 or 150 as an acceptable treated level, because pushing lower can cause dizziness and falls. Diastolic pressure often sits in the 60s at this age; a diastolic below 60 with symptoms such as light-headedness is worth mentioning to your doctor. A single high reading in an older adult means little; the seven-day home average is what the clinician wants to see.
Does blood pressure differ between men and women?
Yes, and the pattern flips with age. Under 50, men average a few points higher than women. After menopause women's readings climb faster, and from about 60 onward women's systolic average is higher than men's. Pregnancy has its own thresholds: 140/90 or above after 20 weeks needs same-day medical review, and that rule does not follow the tables above.
How to check your own reading against the chart
- Take two readings a minute apart, morning and evening, for seven days, and use the average from days two to seven. One reading is not a diagnosis.
- Compare the average to the guideline column, not to your age band. The age band tells you how common your reading is; the guideline column tells you what it means.
- Home averages run about 5 points lower than clinic readings, so 135/85 at home is treated like 140/90 in a clinic.
- Bring the averages to your appointment, not the raw list. A printable log or the Monitor2Log diary, which averages readings for you, both work.
Sources
- American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association, 2017 hypertension guideline, categories reaffirmed in the 2025 update.
- European Society of Cardiology, 2024 guidelines for elevated blood pressure and hypertension.
- NHS and NICE NG136, hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management.
- US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) population averages by age and sex.
This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Blood pressure targets are set by your own clinician.