Ideally, yes, or a very high table top to place your canvas onto. One of the most common mistakes when starting to paint on a larger scale in keeping yourself too close to the painting surface. Physical distance (stepping back and forth) is much easier when standing at an easel.
If you have difficulty standing for long periods, you can still work seated and even tweak the size from 24-inch x 24-inch to 16-inch x 16-inch to make it more comfortable.