# What percent of the population do you find attractive **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 22, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582 "2005-07-22T03:04:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/1 "2005-07-22T03:04:48Z")
What percent of the population do you find attractive. It doesn’t have to be ‘dateworthy’ attractive or amazingly attractive either. Just people you find physically desirable in one way or another. Assume that the filters of gender (whatever gender you’re into) and age (whatever ages you’re into) have already been applied, so that you’re only counting those of the right age & gender. For me its about 35% or so. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/2 "2005-07-22T03:24:41Z")
I would guess anywhere from 35%-50%. If you’d asked me a year ago, when I was still around school, and a lot of college aged kids, I would probably have said 75%. Even people that aren’t great looking, still look pretty good, and possibly look the best they ever will. Now that I’m out in the R.W. and I see more people who aren’t in their 20’s and are tired from life or whatever, the percentage has dropped. Now, I would say 35%-50% are attractive, but I would say that at least 90% of people have some sort of physically attractive quality. Only about 20% (maybe less) could qualify as doing-a-double-take-cause-a-car-accident beautiful. (I’m speaking of females.) After having typed all this, I’m not even sure. I haven’t tried to quantify it before, maybe I’ll have to start making an effort to be more aware of my superficial/shallow thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/3 "2005-07-22T03:25:36Z")
I think everyone has something about them that makes them attractive in a certain light. Sexually attractive? The numbers are insanely small. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/4 "2005-07-22T03:31:01Z")
Speaking of one of those in the 20% … ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/5 "2005-07-22T03:45:02Z")
Also, name your gender and whatever gender you are into. Me - Male, into women. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/6 "2005-07-22T03:54:41Z")
Probably close to 80%. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/7 "2005-07-22T03:58:28Z")
Really, I should adjust that figure. It’s probably closer to 85 or 90 percent. I find almost every woman attractive in all of their diversity of sizes, shapes, and ethnicities. ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/8 "2005-07-22T04:05:12Z")
Well I like males who look like they’re 19-29. About 10% look really attractive to me and that’s when I am really generous and it’s summer and they are wearing t-shirts. In the winter it goes down because I tell what they look like under all the sweaters and things. I am female, into males. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/9 "2005-07-22T04:12:08Z")
> [@kimera](#): > > I think everyone has something about them that makes them attractive in a certain light. Sexually attractive? The numbers are insanely small. You’re missing out. After this thread is over the rest of us are going to go to the park, eat hot dogs and talk about butts. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/10 "2005-07-22T04:18:53Z")
I’m going to violate the terms of the OP, because I have to in order to answer the question. Females: about 75% Males: about 20% ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/11 "2005-07-22T05:20:26Z")
Probably 75% of all females are attractive. Males = Not applicable. I really like women in their glorious feminine variety. I am male. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/12 "2005-07-22T05:32:54Z")
Most - 80% I would say. Oddly, I only find about 5% sexually attractive, but those ones I really, really like. It makes dating sort of a drag. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/13 "2005-07-22T06:17:45Z")
Is it common for women to only find 10% of the male population sexually attractive? ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/14 "2005-07-22T06:20:06Z")
Males: around 20% Females: around 30% Yeah, I know! I don’t understand it, either. ---
**Author:** ![belladonna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9fc29f/32.png) [@belladonna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/belladonna)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/15 "2005-07-22T10:35:32Z")
Men who are attractive: 30% Men I find sexually attractive: 35% ---
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/16 "2005-07-22T11:55:58Z")
About 98% (and that’s guessing low) But, hey, I’m a teenaged male, what do you expect? ---
**Author:** ![EarthStone777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ab992/32.png) [@EarthStone777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EarthStone777)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/17 "2005-07-22T12:37:12Z")
I am male. % of females I find physically attractive = 50% % of females I find mentally/socially/personality attractive = 50% % of female population I would (theoretically) have (at least) a single sexual encounter with = 85% % of males I find sexually attractive = … Uh, what’s 7 divided by the world population? in 38 years, I have met 7 men that I was sexually attracted to, not that I ever did anything, but I at least acknowledged it to myself. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/18 "2005-07-22T13:08:36Z")
If I am at Walmart, I would have to say less than 1% of the population there is attractive. If I am at a hoity toity mall in the area, it has to be 90% are all beautiful people out to shop. Demographics, baby. Anywhooo, as a hobbiest photographer, I’d like to say that _each face individually is beautiful on their own._ ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/19 "2005-07-22T13:52:59Z")
> [@EarthStone777](#): > > I am male. > > % of females I find physically attractive = 50% > % of females I find mentally/socially/personality attractive = 50% > % of female population I would (theoretically) have (at least) a single sexual encounter with = 85% > > % of males I find sexually attractive Can I use your little formula? I am female. % of males I find physically attractive = 60-70% % of males I find mentally/socially/personality attractive = 50% % of male population I would (theoretically) have (at least) a single sexual encounter with = 85% % of females I find sexually attractive - Maybe about 5% ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2005, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582/20 "2005-07-22T14:06:40Z")
Sticking to the formula… I am male. % of females I find physically attractive = 45% % of females I find mentally/socially/personality attractive = 30% % of female population I would (theoretically) have (at least) a single sexual encounter with = 90% (what? hey, I’m a guy…) % of males I find physically attractive = 25% (In a wow, he’s a handsome chap kind of way. Think Vin Diesel or Denzel) % of males I find **sexually attractive** = 0% [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-of-the-population-do-you-find-attractive/313582.md?page=2)