An age blood pressure chart from the American Heart Association has no age column. Every adult is read against the same cutoffs: normal is under 120 systolic and under 80 diastolic, and high blood pressure starts at 130 systolic or 80 diastolic.
Age changes how often your numbers drift upward. It does not change where the lines sit. The only group with a separate, age-based chart is children under 13.
The table below is built directly from the AHA page “Understanding Blood Pressure Readings”, last reviewed August 14, 2025. Each row names its source, so you can check every figure yourself.
The AHA blood pressure categories, row by row
| Category | Systolic (top number), mm Hg | Rule | Diastolic (bottom number), mm Hg | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | Less than 120 | and | Less than 80 | AHA blood pressure categories |
| Elevated | 120 to 129 | and | Less than 80 | AHA blood pressure categories |
| Stage 1 hypertension | 130 to 139 | or | 80 to 89 | AHA blood pressure categories |
| Stage 2 hypertension | 140 or higher | or | 90 or higher | AHA blood pressure categories |
| Severe hypertension, no symptoms | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 | AHA blood pressure categories |
| Hypertensive emergency, with symptoms | Higher than 180 | and/or | Higher than 120 | AHA blood pressure categories |
Watch the “and” versus “or” column. Normal and elevated need both numbers inside the range. Stage 1 and stage 2 need only one.
That means a reading of 126/84 is not elevated. The diastolic 84 falls in the 80 to 89 band, so the reading lands in stage 1.
Video: Cleveland Clinic
Why the adult chart does not shift with age
In August 2025 the AHA and the American College of Cardiology published a new joint guideline. Their announcement states plainly that the blood pressure criteria remain the same as the 2017 guideline, with the same four bands and no age-specific version.
The AHA does acknowledge that age matters. Its readings page explains that systolic pressure usually goes up as people get older, because large arteries become stiffer, plaque builds up over time and heart and blood vessel disease become more common.
The same page says the systolic number tells more about heart disease risk for people over 50. So a rising top number in your 60s is not “normal for your age” under this chart. A systolic reading of 130 or more is stage 1 at any adult age.
Many charts online list a higher “normal” for each decade. Those decade-by-decade figures do not come from the AHA categories. Before you trust any chart, look for the source it names.
Where age really does change the chart: children and teens
Children are the exception. The American Academy of Pediatrics 2017 guideline, summarized by the American Academy of Family Physicians, uses percentiles for anyone under 13.
Below 13, elevated means the 90th percentile or higher for age, height and sex, and hypertension means the 95th percentile or higher. A pediatrician reads those from reference tables, not from the adult chart.
From age 13, teens switch to the same absolute numbers as adults: elevated is 120 to 129 over less than 80, and hypertension starts at 130/80.
Reading your own numbers against the chart
One reading does not place you in a category. The AHA notes that only a doctor or other medical professional can confirm a high blood pressure diagnosis, and the 2025 guideline recommends home monitoring to help confirm an office reading.
If a reading comes back above 180/120, the AHA says to wait at least one minute and measure again. If it stays that high with chest pain, shortness of breath, back pain, numbness, weakness, vision changes or difficulty speaking, call 911.
If you already take a blood pressure medicine, check your prescription against our blood pressure medication recall list and the 2026 blood pressure medication recalls before you change anything. Never stop a medicine without talking to your prescriber.
Supplements marketed for heart health are a separate question from the chart. Our look at magnesium taurate heart benefits covers what that form is and how it compares to other magnesium types.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Your own target can differ from the chart, and your clinician sets it.
Blood pressure by age: common questions
What is a normal blood pressure for a 60-year-old?
The same as for any adult under the AHA categories: less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. Systolic pressure often rises with age because arteries stiffen, but the AHA does not publish a higher normal band for older adults.
Is 130/80 considered high blood pressure?
Yes. In the AHA chart, 130 to 139 systolic or 80 to 89 diastolic is stage 1 hypertension, and the 2025 guideline kept that threshold. A single reading is not a diagnosis, so a clinician confirms it with repeat measurements.
Do children use the same blood pressure chart as adults?
Not before 13. Under the AAP 2017 guideline, younger children are compared with percentiles for their age, height and sex. From 13 onward, teens use the same absolute cutoffs as adults, with hypertension starting at 130/80.