Quick Answer
How many people have tattoos in 2025?
There are 45 million people in the United States, and around 2 billion people worldwide that have at least one tattoo somewhere on their body.
“Tattoo” was declared the world’s most-searched term on the internet 20 years ago.
Today, it is among the most visual forms of art in the world that everyone would like to get their hands (and skin!) into.
More and more people are getting interested to get one for themselves for several reasons, commonly for one’s expression and keeping a sentimental reminder of loved ones done by inking an image to the skin.
Let us find out how many people have tattoos in 2025 and other interesting facts about the art.
By the end of the article, you will know which countries have the highest tattoo prevalence, and which ones still raise eyebrows about this activity.
How Many People Have Tattoos in 2025?
The answer varies across different geographic locations.
The United States alone, which is home to the third most inked population in the world, has 45 million people with tattoos.
While in Italy, the country that has claimed the title of having the world’s most tatted population has 6.9 million people with tattoos.
The number of those with tattoos relative to the total number of citizens is at an impressive rate of 48%.
Worldwide, an impressive 2 billion people have tattoos.
Body Parts as Popular Tattoo Locations
For those thinking about getting a tattoo but still not decided where to put one, here is data on the popularity of tattoos per body part that can guide you on where to put your first one.
- Forearm/s – 40% of tatted people have one on one or both of their forearms
- Back – 39% of tatted people have a back tattoo
- Hand or Wrist – 34% of tatted people have a tattoo on their hand or a part of their wrist
- Upper Arm/s – 33% of tatted people say they have a tattoo on either or both upper arms
- Shoulder/s – 28% of tatted people say they have a tattoo on either or both shoulders
- Chest – 28% of tatted people have a tattoo on their chest
- Lower leg – 23% of tatted people say they have a tattoo on either or both lower legs
- Foot or ankle – 22% of tatted people have it on their foot or ankle
These are just some of the general locations of tattoos among individuals and this can change depending on one’s gender.
Women are Changing the Narrative
There are many females changing the scene, putting tattoos on otherwise uncommon locations such as in the rib cage, behind the ear, or on the forearm.
Still, the most common location for tattoos among the female population is the ankle and upper back shoulder for males.
Tattoo Healing
Not known to many, a tattooed part is considered an open wound that needs utmost care and attention to heal.
The machine penetrates the skin between 50 to 3,000 times per minute, puncturing the layers of the dermis, in order to seal the ink permanently.
It takes an average of two weeks to a few months for a tattoo area to close, depending on the size of the affected area of the skin and one’s adherence to the after-care instructions.
It is also during this period that infections could happen and manifestations of common direct blood contact problems associated with using needles to create a tattoo such as Hepatitis B.
Countries Where Tattoos are Still Considered Taboo
Despite the wide acceptance of tattoos in many countries, especially in the West, several countries still meet this activity with a cold shoulder.
Some of these countries take into account religious and political taboos associated with tattoos but do not consider having one as outright “illegal” by law.
- Iran
- United Arab Emirates
- Turkey
- Sri Lanka
- North Korea
- South Korea
- Vietnam
While tourists with tattoos are advised to take necessary precautions when visiting these countries, local regulations generally apply exclusively to the local population.
Especially in countries in the list known as tourist hubs, like Vietnam, having one is met without much opposition nowadays.
Tattoo Industry and its Potential
Due to the growing popularity of inking, the tattoo industry is expected to benefit from this shift in consumer trend and record a compounding annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% in the next five years.
Today, it is hailed as the 6th fastest-growing industry in the United States.
Along with this trend, the tattoo removal industry will also benefit from the heightened appetite for inking.
Services associated with this activity are forecasted to record an 18% growth in the coming years.
Recent statistics show that 3 in 4 people, with men recording a higher rate than women, regret having tattoos.
The most-common tattoo designs that people regret are names of another person, usually a past lover.
Permanent inks could only be removed through a cover-up or a series of laser sessions.
How Much Should You Spend on a Tattoo?
While this looks like an easy task at hand, tattooing requires craftsmanship and safety, and only licensed professionals are allowed to do it legally.
Regardless of the high input, tattoo artists in the United States make a lucrative income from their passion and rake in an average of $50,000 per year.
Here is how much an average American is willing to spend on a tattoo:
- $100 – 27%
- $101 to $250 – 17%
- $251 to $500 – 16%
- $501 to $1,000 – 11%
- $1,001 to $5,000 – 12%
- Over $5,000 – 2%
The majority of participants are willing to spend a maximum of $100 for a tattoo.
Meanwhile, there is still a significant percentage who can spend up to $5,000 for a single tattoo and they can choose from any of more than 20,000 tattoo parlors all over the country to get it done.
Professions that are More Likely to Get a Tattoo
Below is the list of professional fields and the prevalence of tattoos in each of them.
Participants were asked the question, “Do you have any tattoos?”, and these percentages are associated with an affirmative answer.
- Professional or Managing field – 51%
- Computer, technical, or medical field – 12%
- Operational or Sales field – 14%
- Service Industry – 6%
- Retirees – 6%
People in the professional/managerial field got the highest approval rate of 51%.
This means it is likely that more than half of the people working in this sector have at least one tattoo.
Conclusion
Thank you for tuning in on our article about how many people have tattoos in 2025.
Undeniably, getting inked is becoming more popular over the years as acceptance among societies for tatted individuals continues to grow.
Before getting one for yourself, make sure to check the health risks associated with this activity to see if it works for you.
If you see no problem, go ahead and get one. The best time to get inked is now.
Sources
| National Library of Medicine | Compare Camp | Statista |
| Civic Science | Andrea Catton | Ink Away Laser |
| Mapping Megan | Tattoo Pro | Medermis Laser Clinic |
