For almost as long as cameras have been around, people have been taking pictures of themselves. Now that most of us walk around with compact, high-resolution cameras in our pockets, it’s no wonder selfies have become such a phenomenon.
Millennials are famously called the “selfie generation,” but are they really dominating the selfie game? To find out, we surveyed over 2,300 people to see if they take selfies and what types of selfies they take. Our research shows us the most common places people take selfies, which U.S. states take the most selfies, and even which generation snaps the most self-portraits.
So, are Millenials still the “selfie generation,” or does that title belong to a younger crowd? Read on to find out!
Key Findings
- People in Illinois take the most selfies, averaging around 4 per week, followed by New York, Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
- South Carolina residents take the most selfies showing off their butts, while Georgia residents take the most gym selfies.
- The bathroom mirror is the #1 place people take selfies, followed by the car.
- Gen Z takes the most selfies, averaging 3.2 per week, almost 2.5x as many as Millenials.
Which States Take the Most Selfies?
Of all the states in the U.S., Illinois takes the most selfies, with residents averaging almost four selfies per week. New York comes in second, with residents averaging just over three selfies per week, followed by Arkansas, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
Below is our full list of states ranked by the average number of selfies taken per week.
The Most Popular Types of Selfies
On average, people take 1.5 selfies per week. The pictures they take don’t always get posted as-is — 50% of the people we surveyed say they’ve used filters on their selfies, while 35% say they’ve edited something unflattering out of their pictures. Overall, only 10.7%, or about 1 in 10 people, say they’ve regretted taking a selfie.
Some factors that go into selfie-taking may surprise you. For example, people in relationships report taking more selfies than people who are single. Also, iPhone users tend to take 2x more “belfies” and duck face selfies than Android users.
Bathroom mirror selfies are the #1 most popular selfie type, with 72% of people saying they take this type of selfie. Here’s our list of the most popular selfie types, covering our self-takers’ favorite locations, facial expressions, actions, and other trends:
Gen Z Takes the Most Selfies
On average, Gen Z takes the most selfies of any generation: 3.2 per week, which is almost 2.5x as many selfies as Millenials. Millennials take an average of 1.3 selfies per week. Gen Z is also responsible for trending selfie poses like the 0.5 selfie (pronounced “point five selfie”), typically with a “smize” (smiling eyes) instead of a toothy grin.
Women take more selfies than men, with an average of 1.8 per week, but men aren’t far behind, averaging 1.2 selfies per week. When broken down by generation, male baby boomers actually take more selfies than their female counterparts do — 0.5 selfies per week vs. 0.4 selfies per week, respectively.
Gen Z men take the most selfies of any male generation (2.23), but they’re way outdone by Gen Z women, who take more than 2x as many selfies (4.08) as Millennial women(1.54) and 4x as many as Gen X women (.98).
Conclusion
So, who’s the real “selfie generation”? If Millennials popularized the trend, the Gen Z set have taken it to a whole new level.
With technology always advancing and social media on the rise, we’re sure to see new selfie trends emerge with every generation. Who knows — Generation Alpha might end up outdoing us all!
If you’re smizing in selfies because you’re not comfortable with your smile, you have options, such as cosmetic veneers. Our veneers give you a perfect smile instantly — and because no one will know you’re wearing them, they’re a perfect alternative to aligners like Invisalign if you just want the appearance of straight teeth without traditional braces.
So if you want to put your best smile forward and elevate the look of your selfies, removable, snap-on veneers from Shiny Smile Veneers might be a great choice for you.
Methodology: We surveyed 2,302 people across the U.S. Due to insufficient responses, the following states were eliminated for state breakdowns: Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.