Understanding your A1c results: prediabetes vs. diabetes ranges

An A1c test measures the percentage of your hemoglobin that has glucose attached to it, giving a picture of your average blood sugar over the past 2–3 months. Here's how the standard ranges break down.

Normal range

Below 5.7% is generally considered within the non-diabetic range for most adults.

Prediabetes range

5.7% to 6.4% is classified as prediabetes. This range signals higher-than-typical blood sugar that hasn't yet reached the threshold for a diabetes diagnosis. It's also the range where lifestyle changes tend to have the most leverage — many people in this range can bring their numbers back down with sustained changes to diet, activity, sleep, and weight.

Diabetes range

6.5% or higher, confirmed on two separate tests (or one test plus symptoms and a high random glucose reading), is generally used to diagnose diabetes.

Your personal target may differ

These ranges are population-level guidelines, not a one-size-fits-all target. A clinician may set a different goal for you based on your age, how long you've had diabetes, other health conditions, and your risk of low blood sugar. Someone newly diagnosed and otherwise healthy might be steered toward a tighter target than someone older with multiple conditions, where a slightly higher target can be safer.

The number on its own is a starting point for a conversation with your care team — not a verdict to interpret alone.