According to various surveys and studies, brown is not the most popular favorite color for most people. However, there is still a sizable minority of people who list brown as their favorite color.
Brown as a Favorite Color
When asked to name their favorite color, most people will respond with colors like blue, green, purple, red, etc. Brown is not a color that gets picked very often as most people’s outright favorite. However, that doesn’t mean that no one likes brown or that it can’t be someone’s favorite color.
There are many shades and hues of brown, from light tans to deep chocolate browns. So even people who do like brown as a favorite color may prefer certain shades of it over others. Some people are drawn to the earthy, natural look of browns while others may like how brown can seem warm, cozy, vintage, or antique.
While exact statistics are hard to come by, most surveys suggest that somewhere between 5-10% of people list brown as their favorite color. For example:
- A survey by French paint company Tollens asked people in Europe about their favorite color. Brown came in 5th place with 8% of respondents picking it.
- An unscientific online poll from 2012 by Crayola found that out of over 1 million votes, brown was picked as the favorite by 7% of voters.
- A 2013 survey commissioned by Xerox found that brown was the favorite color of 5% of respondents in the United States.
So while brown may not always come out in the top 5 favorite colors, it does seem to have a consistent minority of admirers in the 5-10% range.
Gender Differences
When looking at gender differences for favorite colors, brown does tend to be picked slightly more often among men than women:
- In the Xerox survey, 8% of male respondents chose brown as their favorite compared to just 3% of female respondents.
- An older study from the 1940s found brown to be the favorite of 8% of men versus 6% of women.
However, since the majority of both genders don’t pick brown, the gender divide is not hugely significant. But the numbers do suggest men have a small tendency to favor brown a bit more than women.
Age Differences
Age seems to play a larger role than gender when it comes to brown being a favorite color.
In surveys, brown is picked noticeably more often among older age groups compared to younger respondents:
| Age Group | Percent Picking Brown as Favorite Color |
|---|---|
| 18-29 | 2% |
| 30-44 | 5% |
| 45-59 | 9% |
| 60+ | 13% |
As we can see, the preference for brown increases steadily with age. While very few people under 30 pick brown as their favorite, it jumps to 13% among seniors 60+.
Some reasons that brown appeal grows with age:
- Brown is seen as more subtle, mature, and elegant by older groups compared to brighter/bold colors.
- It fits well with more old-fashioned or vintage aesthetics that seniors may prefer.
- The earthiness and warmth of brown tones become more welcoming and comforting.
So while brown lags well behind more popular colors for young people, it finds greater appreciation among middle-aged and senior demographics.
Regional Differences
Regionally within the United States, brown as a favorite color seems to be more prevalent in the Midwest:
- The Xerox survey found that brown was the favorite of 8% of respondents in the Midwest compared to just 4% for the overall US.
- A survey by FiveThirtyEight similarly found brown preference highest in the Midwest at 9% versus 5% nationwide.
Possible reasons for this Midwest skew:
- Midwestern aesthetics and sensibilities tend to be more muted and rustic, which brown fits well.
- There are strong agricultural and rural roots where brown earth tones are common.
- The large senior population in the Midwest may factor into higher brown popularity.
So while no region has brown as a top-tier favorite, the Midwest seems to give it the strongest showing.
Cultural Differences
Some cultural differences also emerge in brown color preferences:
- Surveys of international color popularity often show higher brown preferences in European countries compared to the US.
- Brown also appears to be picked more in Latin America and Spanish-speaking countries.
- Asian countries seem to have lower rates of brown favorite compared to other regions.
This suggests cultural tastes, styles, and traditions can influence the appeal of brown as a favorite across different groups. More research would be needed to fully analyze the cultural patterns.
Conclusion
While brown lags well behind more popular color favorites like blue and green, surveys still show a small but consistent minority of 5-10% of people listing it as their top color. Men and older adults have a slightly higher preference for brown than women and youth. Regionally, brown appeals most in the Midwest. And culturally, it resonates in European and Latin countries more than elsewhere. So while not the #1 pick for most, brown still claims an enduring niche as a favorite color choice.