For adults of any age, normal blood pressure is under 120/80 mmHg, and the target is the same for women and men. 120 to 129 over under 80 is elevated, and 130/80 or higher is high blood pressure. Blood pressure often rises with age, but the healthy target doesn’t.
Type or slide your top number to see where it falls. Your bottom number counts too, and the higher category of the two applies.
Where do you fall?
Blood pressure is judged on both numbers; the higher category of the two applies.
| Band | Blood pressure (top number) (mmHg) | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| NormalUnder 120 over under 80. | Under 120 | Under 120 over under 80. |
| Elevated120 to 129 over under 80. | 120 to 129 | 120 to 129 over under 80. |
| Stage 1 high130 to 139, or 80 to 89 on the bottom. | 130 to 139 | 130 to 139, or 80 to 89 on the bottom. |
| Stage 2 high140 or more, or 90 or more on the bottom. | 140 to 180 | 140 or more, or 90 or more on the bottom. |
| SevereOver 180, or over 120 on the bottom: check again, and call 911 with symptoms. | 181 or more | Over 180, or over 120 on the bottom: check again, and call 911 with symptoms. |
Blood pressure is judged on both numbers; the higher category of the two applies.
What does your blood pressure mean?
Your blood pressure is two numbers in mmHg. The top number (systolic) is the pressure when your heart beats; the bottom number (diastolic) is the pressure between beats. 1
The healthy target doesn’t rise with age. A 45-year-old woman, a 45-year-old man and a 70-year-old all share the same categories: normal is under 120/80. 1
Older charts sometimes listed a higher “normal” for older people. Those were averages, not goals. Average blood pressure rises with age because high blood pressure becomes more common, not because it becomes healthy. 1
Pregnancy has its own guidance, so if you’re pregnant, follow your care team’s advice on readings.
In Checkup Score, blood pressure is scored on whichever of your two numbers is less healthy. On its own, a top number of 125 counts as 82 of 100, and 120 counts as 90.
What moves your blood pressure?
Food, weight and activity can each lower blood pressure by several points, and medicine can do more. These are typical drops in the top number for adults with high blood pressure, biggest first. 1
- A DASH-style eating pattern, rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low-fat dairy: about 11 mmHg. 1
- Regular aerobic activity, about 90 to 150 minutes a week: about 5 to 8 mmHg. 1
- Less sodium, ideally under 1,500 mg a day, or at least 1,000 mg less than now: about 5 to 6 mmHg. 1
- More potassium from food, unless your doctor has told you to limit it: about 4 to 5 mmHg. 1
- Weight loss if you’re above a healthy weight: about 1 mmHg for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) lost. 1
- Less alcohol if you drink, staying within the guideline’s limit of 1 to 2 drinks a day, depending on sex: about 4 mmHg. 1
How often should you check your blood pressure?
If your blood pressure is normal, a check once a year is a common rhythm. If it’s elevated or stage 1 without other high risk, guidelines suggest rechecking in 3 to 6 months. 1
One reading in a clinic can run high or low. To get a real reading, take a week of home readings, morning and evening, and look at the average. 1
Each time, sit quietly for 5 minutes with your back supported, feet flat and arm resting at heart level. Skip caffeine, exercise and smoking for 30 minutes before, and take 2 readings a minute apart. 1
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Common questions
What is a good blood pressure for a 45-year-old woman?
A good blood pressure for a 45-year-old woman is under 120/80 mmHg, the same as for any adult. 120 to 129 over under 80 is elevated, and 130/80 or more is high. Blood pressure can rise in the years around menopause, so it’s worth checking at least once a year and taking home readings if a number looks high.
What is a good blood pressure for a 45-year-old man?
For a 45-year-old man, a good blood pressure is under 120/80 mmHg. The categories are the same for men and women at every adult age. If a reading comes back at 130/80 or higher, a week of home readings, morning and evening, shows whether it’s a real pattern or a one-off.
Does normal blood pressure go up with age?
Average blood pressure goes up with age, but the healthy target doesn’t. Guidelines use the same categories for all adults: under 120/80 mmHg is normal. Older charts that showed a higher normal for older people were showing averages, not goals. For most adults 65 and older living at home, the treatment goal is a top number under 130.
Is blood pressure different for women and men?
The categories are the same. Normal is under 120/80 mmHg for women and men alike, and high blood pressure starts at 130/80. Pregnancy is the main exception, because it has its own guidance. If you’re pregnant and get a high reading, contact your care team instead of waiting for your next visit.
What is normal blood pressure for children?
Children under 13 are judged on charts that take age, sex and height into account, so there isn’t one number for every child. From age 13, the adult categories apply: under 120/80 mmHg is normal. Blood pressure checks are part of yearly checkups from age 3.
Related
Sources
- 2025 AHA/ACC Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults (categories unchanged from 2017). AHA/ACC, 2025.
- Clinical Practice Guideline for Screening and Management of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents. American Academy of Pediatrics, 2017.
This is information, not medical advice. It doesn’t replace your clinician. In an emergency, call 911.