Heart Rate by Age Chart
Normal heart rate changes with age in two opposite ways: resting HR is very high and very wide in newborns (70 to 190 bpm) and narrows to the adult range (60 to 100 bpm) by age 10; maximum HR starts around 200 bpm at age 20 and decreases with the years. The charts below cover both. Calculate your maximum HR first.
Your estimated maximum heart rate
190bpm
This is the theoretical ceiling of beats per minute during maximum effort.
How we got this number
Max HR = 220 − 30 = 190 bpm
Resting heart rate chart by age
| Age | Resting HR (bpm) |
|---|---|
| Newborn (0 to 1 month) | 70 to 190 |
| Infant (1 to 11 months) | 80 to 160 |
| 1 to 2 years | 80 to 130 |
| 3 to 4 years | 80 to 120 |
| 5 to 6 years | 75 to 115 |
| 7 to 9 years | 70 to 110 |
| 10 years and older, including adults | 60 to 100 |
In childhood, the smaller heart beats faster to keep up with a growing body; the rate drops as the child grows. In adulthood, the resting range is stable — people who train tend to sit at the floor of it.
Maximum heart rate chart by age
| Age | 220 − age | Tanaka (208 − 0.7 × age) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 years | 200 bpm | 194 bpm |
| 30 years | 190 bpm | 187 bpm |
| 40 years | 180 bpm | 180 bpm |
| 50 years | 170 bpm | 173 bpm |
| 60 years | 160 bpm | 166 bpm |
| 70 years | 150 bpm | 159 bpm |
Maximum HR is an age-based estimate, with a margin of 10 to 12 bpm. It’s a reference for calculating training zones, not an exact individual value.
Resting and maximum measure different things
- Resting HR — measured at rest, reflects fitness and the moment (stress, caffeine, sleep). Lower is usually better.
- Maximum HR — the ceiling of beats during effort, defined by age. It’s not meant to be reached in everyday routine, but to calculate training zone intensity.
Learn more about this distinction on the page about the difference between resting and maximum heart rate.
When the values deserve attention
Outside the age ranges — and in adults, above 100 bpm or below 50 bpm at rest, without being an athlete — it’s worth investigating, especially with dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations, or fainting. In children, changes together with high fever, labored breathing, or listlessness call for a pediatrician. This content is informational and does not replace medical evaluation.
See also the normal resting heart rate by age, the maximum heart rate by age, and the target heart rate for exercise chart.
Frequently asked questions
What is the normal heart rate by age?
At rest, newborns beat 70 to 190 bpm and adults 60 to 100 bpm, a range they reach by age 10. Maximum HR, by contrast, drops with age: about 200 bpm at age 20 and 150 bpm at age 70 (formula 220 − age).
Does resting heart rate change with age?
In childhood, yes: resting HR is much higher and drops as the child grows. In adulthood, the healthy resting range (60 to 100 bpm) stays the same — what influences it most is physical fitness.
Why does maximum HR decrease with age?
It's a physiological change: with aging, the heart responds a bit more slowly to the stimuli that speed up beats, and peak heart rate drops a few beats per year.
What is the difference between resting HR and maximum HR?
Resting HR is measured at rest and reflects fitness; maximum HR is the ceiling of beats during effort, estimated by age. The two serve different purposes in health and training.
Sources
- Target Heart Rates Chart (American Heart Association)
- Tanaka H, Monahan KD, Seals DR. Age-predicted maximal heart rate revisited (J Am Coll Cardiol, 2001)
- Pulse — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (A.D.A.M., Inc.)
Written by Lucas Silva · Reviewed by Lucas Silva · Updated on August 13, 2026