Normal resting pulse rates for 61 year olds
Median, men and women
At 61, a typical resting heart rate is about 69 bpm. Most adults ages 60 to 79 have a resting heart rate between 54 and 91 bpm.
Resting heart rate percentiles for adults ages 60 to 79
These numbers are for adults ages 60 to 79. The national survey they come from reports heart rates by age group, not by single year.
| Percentile | Everyone | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 47 | 45 | 52 |
| 2nd | 50 | 48 | 54 |
| 5th | 54 | 50 | 56 |
| 10th | 56 | 54 | 59 |
| 25th | 62 | 60 | 64 |
| 50th | 69 | 67 | 70 |
| 75th | 77 | 75 | 78 |
| 90th | 85 | 84 | 86 |
| 95th | 91 | 91 | 92 |
| 97th | 97 | 98 | 96 |
| 99th | 102 | 102 | 102 |
What it means
At 61 years, you're in the 60–79 age group, which uses the same numbers for every age in it.
At 61, your estimated maximum heart rate is 159 bpm (220 minus your age), while the typical resting heart rate is about 69 bpm.
Why ages are grouped. The national CDC survey behind these numbers reports heart rates by age group, not by single year. So every age in a group shares the same numbers. The median is the middle value: half of people are lower and half are higher. It isn't quite the same as the average.
Women's heart rates run a little higher. In adults, women's median resting heart rate is a few beats higher than men's. The normal range from the American Heart Association is 60 to 100 bpm for both.
Fitness changes the number. Regular aerobic exercise, sleep, fever, caffeine and some medicines all affect your resting heart rate. A slow heart rate with no symptoms is common in fit adults.
How to take your resting heart rate
- Sit quietly for 5 minutes. Skip caffeine and exercise for an hour before.
- Count your pulse at the wrist for 30 seconds and double it.
- Use the average of a few mornings, not one reading taken after climbing stairs.
Nearby ages
Common questions
Short answers about how these calculators work.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- Resting pulse rate reference data for children, adolescents, and adults: United States, 1999–2008 (opens in a new tab) - National Center for Health Statistics, CDC, 2011Typical resting heart rates by age and sex
- All about heart rate (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationNormal resting heart rate range for adults
- Bradycardia: slow heart rate (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationWhen a slow heart rate needs medical care
- Target heart rates chart (opens in a new tab) - American Heart AssociationHow to take your pulse
- Pulse (opens in a new tab) - MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of MedicineNormal heart rate ranges by age
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