We built the Rarity Calculator to answer one question: "How statistically rare am I in this country?" It combines your height, income, and body composition against real WHO, World Bank, and OECD data to calculate how many men out of 10,000 share your profile in each country.
To see which countries give the biggest rarity boost, we ran the calculator for a typical American man: 5'10" (178 cm), $50,000/year income, not overweight. The results show dramatic differences.
What "Rarity" Actually Measures
The rarity score answers: "Out of 10,000 men in this country, how many would match your height, income, and body type?" A score of "3 out of 10,000" means only 3 local men share your statistical profile — making you extremely rare. A score of "500 out of 10,000" means you blend in more.
The calculation uses three independent probabilities:
- Height rarity — What percentile is your height vs. the country's median male height and standard deviation?
- Income rarity — How does your income compare to the local median income, adjusted for income inequality (Gini coefficient)?
- Body composition rarity — If you're not overweight, how rare is that given the country's overweight population percentage?
These probabilities are multiplied together to get the combined rarity.
The Results: 5'10", $50K, Not Overweight
Here's how the average American man's stats look across every country. The table is sorted by the factors that most influence rarity — countries with low income, short heights, and low overweight rates produce the highest rarity scores:
| # | Country | Income/mo | Avg Height | Overweight % | COL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines | $240 | 164 cm | 27% | 34/100 |
| 2 | Kenya | $250 | 170 cm | 17% | 32/100 |
| 3 | Indonesia | $260 | 166 cm | 27% | 34.5/100 |
| 4 | Vietnam | $280 | 169 cm | 18% | 31.1/100 |
| 5 | Morocco | $350 | 176 cm | 56% | 34/100 |
| 6 | Colombia | $400 | 172 cm | 56% | 27.6/100 |
| 7 | Argentina | $400 | 175 cm | 65% | 30.7/100 |
| 8 | Thailand | $430 | 172 cm | 37% | 49.3/100 |
| 9 | Peru | $440 | 167 cm | 56% | 30.4/100 |
| 10 | South Africa | $500 | 170 cm | 42% | 44/100 |
| 11 | Dominican Republic | $550 | 175 cm | 60% | 42.5/100 |
| 12 | Brazil | $620 | 176 cm | 58% | 32.7/100 |
| 13 | Serbia | $1,050 | 181 cm | 58% | 30/100 |
| 14 | China | $1,100 | 176 cm | 43% | 50.5/100 |
| 15 | Bulgaria | $1,100 | 174 cm | 57% | 39.8/100 |
| 16 | Romania | $1,250 | 178 cm | 57% | 34.5/100 |
| 17 | Hungary | $1,300 | 177 cm | 66% | 40.9/100 |
| 18 | Mexico | $1,600 | 170 cm | 73% | 32/100 |
| 19 | Czech Republic | $1,600 | 181 cm | 67% | 47.9/100 |
| 20 | Poland | $1,700 | 181 cm | 63% | 39.7/100 |
| 21 | Spain | $2,200 | 176 cm | 62% | 57.9/100 |
| 22 | Italy | $2,300 | 174 cm | 59% | 65.8/100 |
| 23 | Japan | $2,500 | 172 cm | 32% | 83.5/100 |
| 24 | South Korea | $2,500 | 176 cm | 38% | 82.5/100 |
| 25 | France | $3,100 | 179 cm | 60% | 81.5/100 |
| 26 | Canada | $3,800 | 179 cm | 64% | 70/100 |
| 27 | United Kingdom | $3,800 | 178 cm | 67% | 83.3/100 |
| 28 | Germany | $4,100 | 180 cm | 65% | 72.5/100 |
| 29 | United States | $4,900 | 175 cm | 74% | 100/100 |
Why Southeast Asia Dominates
Countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam consistently produce the highest rarity scores because they hit the trifecta:
- Short average heights (164-169 cm) — a 178 cm man is 1.5-2+ standard deviations above the median
- Low incomes ($240-$280/month) — a $50K salary is 15-17x the local median
- Low overweight rates (18-27%) — being not-overweight isn't rare at home (26% of US men are not overweight) but it compounds the score
By contrast, in the United States, a 5'10" man earning $50K who isn't overweight is... average. The rarity score is much higher because the median income is close ($4,900/month), the average height is similar (175 cm), and 74% of the population is overweight.
The Eastern Europe Sweet Spot
If Southeast Asia feels too far, Eastern Europe offers strong rarity scores with a more Western lifestyle. Countries like Romania, Serbia, and Bulgaria have low median incomes ($1,050-$1,250/month) and moderate overweight rates (57-58%), so your income alone makes you rare.
The catch: average heights are taller in Eastern Europe (174-181 cm), so the height component contributes less to your overall rarity. A 5'10" man in Serbia is actually below average in height.
Latin America's Middle Ground
Colombia, Peru, and Mexico sit between Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. Heights are moderate (167-175 cm), incomes are low ($400-$1,600/month), and overweight rates are mid-range (56-73%). You get solid rarity without being on the other side of the planet.
Calculate Your Own Score
These results are for a "typical" American man. Your actual rarity will differ based on your real height, income, and body type. Use our tools to find out:
- Compare Tool — Enter your stats once and see your rarity ranking across all 29 countries
- Destination Pages — Dive deep into a specific country with the built-in rarity calculator
The data doesn't lie. Where you go matters just as much as who you are — and the right country can turn "average" into "extremely rare."