Tattoo Statistics Reveal America's Fascination is Growing

Life magazine estimated in 1936 that 10 million Americans, or approximately six percent of the population had at least one tattoo.

A Harris Poll, done in 2003, nearly triples those numbers and estimates that 16 percent of Americans now have one or more tattoos.

The National Geographic News stated in April 2000 that 15 percent of Americans were tattooed (or approximately 40 million people!)

Esquire Magazine estimated in March 2002 that 1 in 8 Americans was tattooed.

In 2003, The Harris Poll estimated 36 percent of those ages 25-29 had one or more tattoos.

According to the American Society of Dermatological Surgery, in 2005, of all people treated with lasers and light therapy, only 6 percent had a tattoo removed.

A 2006 study, by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, found 24% of all Americans between ages 18 and 50 had tattoos (nearly one in four). And the survey reported 36 percent of Americans ages 18 to 29 had at least one tattoo.