From the late nineteenth century to the early twenty-first century, the height of Peruvian men and women has grown insignificantly, considering the number of decades that have passed and the historical experience of neighboring countries. This growth was slower in the period prior to the 1960s. However, during that time, the majority of the Peruvian population—which until the early 1960s was rural—was able to maintain its height, despite the economic crises, without experiencing major setbacks. Beginning in the 1960s, the relative increase in height, especially in urban areas—where 70 percent of the population began to be concentrated—remained insignificant, clearly highlighting the economic and political shortcomings existing in Peruvian society. The presence of racism, centralism, and gender discrimination also played an important role in determining height. These results allow us to relativize estimates of the standard of living based on indicators such as GDP.