Ralphie is 9 years old in A Christmas Story.

Ralphie’s age in the movie

  • Multiple reference guides and character breakdowns for the 1983 film state that Ralphie Parker is nine years old during the events of the story.
  • He is depicted as an elementary school kid around fourth grade, which fits the nine‑year‑old age range in the late 1930s–early 1940s setting.

Why the age sometimes confuses people

  • The actor Peter Billingsley was actually a bit older (around 12) when filming, which can make viewers guess a higher age even though the character is written as 9.
  • Context clues in the story—his writing assignments, daydreams, belief in Santa, and how adults talk to him—are all framed for a nine‑year‑old kid navigating that in‑between stage of childhood.

TL;DR: Ralphie Parker is 9 years old in A Christmas Story.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.