Data report · Updated October 2026
Buzz cut statistics: the UK's most common men's cut and the favorite in 16 US states
How many men wear or want a buzz cut, where it is most popular, how searches spiked and what the military requires.
The buzz cut is the most common men's hairstyle in the UK, worn by 16% of men in a 2025 Remington poll[1]. In the US it is the second favorite men's cut at 12%, and the top pick in 16 states[2][3]. Searches for "buzz cut" rose 91% in the first month of 2020 lockdowns[4].
16%
of UK men wear a buzz cut, the most common style (2025)[1]
12%
of Americans name the buzz cut their favorite men's style (2025)[2]
16
US states where the buzz cut is the favorite men's haircut[3]
+91%
rise in "buzz cut" searches, March 13 to April 13, 2020[4]
1 inch
maximum hair length on the sides and back under 2025 US Army rules[5]
By Jessica Hamilton, Editor · Published · Updated · Free to reuse with credit (CC BY 4.0)
Key findings
- In a Remington/OnePoll survey of 2,000 UK men published in September 2025, buzz cuts were the most common hairstyle at 16%, ahead of clean-shaven heads (12%) and crew cuts (9%)[1].
- In the UK, buzz cuts peaked in the North East at 20% of men[1].
- A January 2025 survey of 7,100 Americans ranked the buzz cut second nationally at 12%, behind the fade at 14%[2].
- The buzz cut was the favorite men's haircut in 16 of 50 states, led by Wyoming at 23%[3].
- Searches for "buzz cut" rose 91% and searches for "hair clippers" 181% between March 13 and April 13, 2020, according to Mavens of London data[4].
- Google's 2015 US hair report found "buzz cut" searches up 27% year over year[6].
- Under Army Directive 2025-18, men's hair may be at most 2 inches on top and 1 inch on the sides and back[5].
Download the infographic
The headline numbers from this report as one tall image (1000 x 1500 PNG), sized for Pinterest, slides and posts. Free to reuse with credit.
How popular is the buzz cut?
Recent surveys on both sides of the Atlantic put the buzz cut at or near the top. A Remington poll of 2,000 UK men, carried out by OnePoll and published in September 2025, found the buzz cut was the most common hairstyle at 16%[1]. Clean-shaven heads came second at 12%, crew cuts third at 9%, then side partings (7%) and high skin fades (4%)[1].
In the US, a Hims survey of 7,100 people fielded in January 2025 asked for their favorite men's hairstyle. The buzz cut came second at 12%, behind the fade at 14% and ahead of the classic boy cut at 10.5%[2]. Note the difference in questions: the UK poll asked men what they wear, while the US survey asked men and women what they like.
If you count the clean-shaven head as the buzz cut taken to zero, 28% of UK men wear one of the two looks (menhaircuts.net calculation: 16% + 12%)[1].
Show the numbers
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Buzz cut | 16% |
| Clean-shaven head | 12% |
| Crew cut | 9% |
| Side parting | 7% |
| High skin fade | 4% |
Which US states like the buzz cut most?
The buzz cut won 16 of the 50 states in the Hims survey, second only to the fade's 23[3]. Wyoming led with 23%, the highest winning share for any style in any state[3]. Massachusetts followed at 18%, then Maine, New York and Virginia at 17%[3].
The buzz cut states are spread widely, from New England (Maine, Massachusetts) to the Mountain West (Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Nevada) and the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington)[3]. Wisconsin was the narrowest win, at 11%[3]. See our state-by-state haircut report for every state's result.
| State | Share naming the buzz cut |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | 23% |
| Massachusetts | 18% |
| Maine | 17% |
| New York | 17% |
| Virginia | 17% |
| Kentucky | 15% |
| Missouri | 15% |
| Oregon | 15% |
| Washington | 15% |
| Maryland | 14% |
| Montana | 14% |
| Oklahoma | 14% |
| Utah | 14% |
| Nebraska | 13% |
| Nevada | 13% |
| Wisconsin | 11% |
Where in the UK are buzz cuts most common?
Regional results in the Remington poll show the buzz cut peaking in the North East of England, where 20% of men wear one[1]. Wales leans further: men there are more likely than elsewhere to have a clean-shaven head, at 16%[1].
The same poll found hairstyle upkeep matters to men. Asked what they consider most important to maintain, 42% said facial hair and 40% said their hairstyle[1].
How much did buzz cut searches rise during lockdown?
When barbershops closed in spring 2020, men reached for clippers. Data from the agency Mavens of London covering March 13 to April 13, 2020 showed searches for "buzz cut" up 91% and "hair clippers" up 181%[4]. Google searches for "beard trimmers" rose 36% from February 2020[4].
Kantar social listening data from the same period, across the UK, US, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Brazil and France, found 50% of consumers planned to wait for their hairdresser, 19% would ask someone at home to cut their hair, and nearly 25% of men aged 18 to 24 would rely on a friend or family member[4]. For a home clipper cut, start with our guide on how to buzz cut your own hair.
Show the numbers
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Hair clippers | 181% |
| Bright hair dye colors | 117% |
| Buzz cut | 91% |
| Hair coloring | 37% |
| Beard trimmers | 36% |
Is the buzz cut trending on Google and Instagram?
Google's own trend report for the US, covering January 2013 to August 2015, gave "buzz cut" a search index of 6 against 100 for "short haircuts", with 27% year-over-year growth[6]. "High and tight", a military-style relative, had the same index of 6 and grew 32%[6].
Over the long run the buzz cut is searched less than flashier styles. Google's 2023 Year in Search quiz noted the buzz cut was not among the five most-searched haircuts since 2004, which were the bob, mullet, undercut, pixie and box braids[7]. On Instagram, a 2021 hashtag count by Tajmeeli found 530,552 buzz cut posts, against 2,032,953 for the fade and 877,209 for the mullet[8].
Celebrity moments still move searches. Cosmetify reported over 1.6 million searches for the buzzcut in 2022, as quoted by Modern Barber in November 2023[9].
Show the numbers
| Category | Value |
|---|---|
| Undercut | 2,668,621 |
| Mohawk | 2,248,874 |
| Fade | 2,032,953 |
| Mullet | 877,209 |
| Buzz cut | 530,552 |
What are the military's haircut rules in 2025?
The buzz cut's link with the armed forces is real, but current Army rules do not require one. Army Directive 2025-18, announced September 15, 2025, sets a maximum of 2 inches on top and 1 inch on the sides and back for men, with "tapered or faded" cuts evenly blended around the sides and back[5]. Only shaved or closely cut hair on the back of the neck may touch the uniform collar, and fully shaved heads are allowed[5].
Soldiers had 30 days from the date of the directive to meet the new standards[10]. Locs, braids and twists are prohibited for men under the directive[5]. A short buzz cut sits comfortably inside these limits, which is why it remains a default for service members. Our military haircut standards guide compares the rules by branch.
| Rule | Limit |
|---|---|
| Maximum length on top | 2 inches |
| Maximum length on sides and back | 1 inch |
| Shape | Tapered or faded, evenly blended |
| Collar | Only shaved or closely cut neck hair may touch it |
| Shaved head | Allowed |
| Locs, braids, twists | Prohibited for men |
Do younger men choose the buzz cut?
Less often than older men, according to the 2025 Hims survey. Gen Z men were less likely than Gen X men to choose a buzz cut, 12% against 19%, and were roughly twice as likely to prefer undercuts, Caesar cuts or fringes and about five times as likely to pick a quiff[2].
A separate survey of 3,638 users of the hair-loss site Medihair (the page dates it to both May 2024 and May 2025) across the US, UK, Spain, Italy, France, Germany and Brazil put the buzz cut fourth at 14%, behind the slick back (19%), crew cut (17%) and "other" (16%)[11]. That sample is drawn from a hair-loss audience, which may favor short, low-maintenance cuts, so treat it as a niche view. For thinning hair specifically, see buzz cut vs bald shave for thinning hair.
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the buzz cut in 2026?
Which state likes the buzz cut most?
How many states prefer the buzz cut?
Did buzz cuts become more popular during Covid?
Does the Army require a buzz cut?
What percentage of men shave their heads?
Methodology and limitations
Sources were opened and read on October 15, 2026. Survey data comes from Remington/OnePoll (UK, 2,000 men, published September 2025, read via the Yorkshire Post), the Hims survey of 7,100 Americans (January 2025, via Stacker and the Hims state data file) and Medihair's user survey. Search data comes from Mavens of London (via Global Cosmetic Industry), Google's 2015 Think with Google hair report, Google's 2023 Year in Search quiz and a Cosmetify figure quoted by Modern Barber. Instagram counts are from a 2021 Tajmeeli study reported by Hairdressers Journal. Army rules are from Task & Purpose's reading of the directive and the Army's announcement. The 28% UK figure is a menhaircuts.net sum of two published shares.
Limitations
The UK figure measures what men wear; the US figure measures what men and women prefer, so the two are not directly comparable. State results rest on about 100 respondents each. The Remington poll was commissioned by a clipper maker, and the Medihair sample comes from a hair-loss website's users, with the page giving two different survey years (2024 and 2025). Search growth figures are relative changes, not volumes, and the Mavens of London baseline is not fully described. Cosmetify's 2022 search total is reported secondhand. Instagram hashtag counts mix men and women and do not show how many people wear a style.
Every figure on this page links to its source. Numbers are reported as published; any menhaircuts.net calculation is labelled and shows its inputs. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will check it.
Sources
- Leicester is the moustache capital of the UK, where most men boast their hair, Yorkshire Post (Remington / OnePoll data) (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- This is the most popular men's hairstyle in every state, Hims via Stacker (republished by KTVZ) (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Hair styles by state (data file), Hims (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- 'Beauty Therapy' is Consumers' Top Post-lockdown Activity, Global Cosmetic Industry (Mavens of London and Kantar data) (2020). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Army grooming standards and hairstyles get more strict under new orders, Task & Purpose (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Beauty Trends 2015: Hair Care Edition (U.S.), Think with Google (2015). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Quiz: How well do you know the most-searched trends?, Google (The Keyword blog) (2023). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Instagram reveals the world's most popular hairstyles, Hairdressers Journal International (Tajmeeli data) (2021). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Harry Styles triggers over 173,000 Google searches for buzzcut, Modern Barber (Cosmetify data) (2023). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Army updates standards for appearance, grooming, uniform wear in new directive, U.S. Army (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
- Statistics: 8 Most Popular Male Hairstyles (2025), Medihair (2025). Accessed October 15, 2026.
Cite, embed and download
This report, its charts and its infographic are free to reuse under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Credit menhaircuts.net with a link to this page.
Cite this report (APA)
Hamilton, J. (2026, October 15). Buzz Cut Statistics 2026: Popularity and Trends. menhaircuts.net. https://menhaircuts.net/stats/buzz-cut-statistics/
Link to this report
<a href="https://menhaircuts.net/stats/buzz-cut-statistics/">Buzz Cut Statistics 2026: Popularity and Trends</a> (menhaircuts.net, CC BY 4.0)Share the headline number
16%: of UK men wear a buzz cut, the most common style (2025) (Yorkshire Post (Remington / OnePoll data), via menhaircuts.net/stats/buzz-cut-statistics/)
Download the charts and infographic
Related data
- 23states where the fade is the favorite men's haircut (2025 survey)Most Popular Men's Haircut by State
- 36%US men who always or usually get their hair cut at home (2024)DIY Haircut Statistics 2026
- 14%picked the fade as their favorite men's hairstyle (US, January 2025)Most Popular Men's Haircuts 2026
- 64.18%of US Air Force shaving waiver holders in a 2021 study were Black (12.85% of the sample)Facial Hair Dress Code Statistics 2026
Related guides
Make us a Preferred Source on Google
See our latest articles first in your Google Search & AI Overviews.