The objective of this study was to verify and validate a finite element modeling routine for the human metatarsal, which is a common location for stress fractures. Experimental strain measurements on 33 human cadaveric metatarsals subject to cantilever bending were compared with strain predictions from finite element (FE) models generated from computed tomography images. For the material property assignment of the FE models, a published density-elasticity relationship was compared with density-elasticity equations developed using optimization techniques. The correlations between the measured and predicted and predicted strains were very high (r²≥0.94) for all of the density-elasticity equations. However, the utilization of an optimized density-elasticity equation improved the accuracy of the finite element models, reducing the maximum error between measured and predicted strains by 10% to 20%. The finite element modeling routine could be used for investigating potential interventions to minimize metatarsal strains and the occurrence of metatarsal stress fractures.