Today we rank the personality types from rarest to least rare. We all have our own quirks and personalities, but what is the rarest personality type?
The Myers & Briggs Foundation published data estimating the relative frequency of each of the sixteen types in the United States population. We’ve used this data to compile the list below of the rarest types.
It’s important to keep in mind that everyone is unique, and you should not compare your individuality with anyone else. Everyone has something exceptional and meaningful to contribute to the world – regardless of how common or rare their type may be.
We are all blessed with different personalities, and the most fulfilling way to live is by embracing the individual qualities that make us special. After all, the world would be such a boring place if we were all the same.
So, here are the personality types ranked from rarest to least rare. If you don’t know your personality type, you can take our free 5-minute personality test. So without further ado, let’s get started.
Rarest to least rare personality types
1. INFJ: 1.5% of the population
1.5% of the population falls into the INFJ personality type designation, making it the rarest personality type. INFJs are deep thinkers who take their time to form opinions and generally shy away from small talk. They have a great capacity for empathy, understanding others on an intuitive level, and often taking up causes that benefit those in need.
There is a slightly higher percentage of female INFJs than male INFJs—1.6% of females are INFJs and this equivalent number is 1.2% for males. With 1.2% of the male population being INFJs, INFJ is also the rarest personality type for men.
2. ENTJ: 1.8% of the population
ENTJs comprise of 1.8% of the population, making them the second rarest personality type out there. As natural leaders, ENTJs are decisive and outspoken and often take charge in any situation they find themselves in. They’re assertive, driven by results, and great at getting things done. ENTJs favor challenging work environments and are often the people who lead initiatives in their professional lives.
2.7% of the male population are ENTJs, whereas for females, it’s only 0.9%. This makes female ENTJs the joint rarest personality type for women.
3. INTJ: 2.1% of the population
INTJ falls into the category of rare personality types at only 2.1%. INTJs are logical, analytical thinkers who often view the world as a puzzle ready to be solved. They are independent and self-driven, seeking knowledge to help them better understand the world around them. INTJs use this knowledge to strategize and plan for the future.
2.6% of the male population are INTJs while only 0.9% of females are this personality type, making it the joint rarest personality type for women alongside ENTJs.
4. ENFJ: 2.5% of the population
ENFJs make up 2.5% of the population, making them the fourth rarest personality type. ENFJs exhibit a heightened sense of empathy, excellent interpersonal skills, and a deep understanding of human needs. Their ability to put other people’s feelings ahead of their own makes them invaluable in leadership positions or any sort of management role.
While there is a significantly higher percentage of female ENFJs than male ENFJs, with 3.3% of women being this personality type and 1.6% of men, both are still considered rare personality types.
5. ENTP: 3.2% of the population
The fifth rarest personality type is ENTPs. They make up 3.2% of the population. ENTPs are quick-thinking innovators who bring a unique perspective to any situation they find themselves in. They’re great problem solvers and often thrive when they can come up with creative solutions to difficult problems. ENTPs tend to be open-minded and are always on the lookout for new ideas and possibilities.
2.4% of the female population are ENTPs, whereas this number is 4.0% for men. This means that ENTP is one of the rarest personality types for women.
6. INTP: 3.3% of the population
INTPs make up 3.3% of the population and are the sixth rarest personality type. INTPs are independent, creative thinkers who prefer to work on projects by themselves. They are inquisitive and have a deep thirst for knowledge. INTPs can also be extremely analytical and introspective, often getting lost in their own thoughts. They prefer to observe from afar and may come across as aloof.
1.7% of the female population are INTPs, and that number is 4.8% for the male population. This makes female INTPs significantly rarer than male INTPs.
7. ESTP: 4.3% of the population
ESTPs make up 4.3% of the population, making them the seventh rarest personality type. This position also means that ESTPs are the rarest of the Sensor personality types. ESTPs are action-oriented and prefer to live in the present moment. They’re great at problem-solving on their feet and often take a pragmatic approach to any situation they find themselves in.
There is a higher percentage of male ESTPs than female ESTPs, with 5.6% of men being this personality type, and 4.0% of women.
8. INFP: 4.4% of the population
INFPs make up 4.4% of the population, making them the eighth rarest personality type. INFPs are gentle, compassionate people who have a strong sense of right and wrong. They value individualism, creativity, and personal autonomy highly and will often strive to find meaning in everything they do. INFPs have strongly developed intuition and are able to pick up on emotional nuances that others may miss.
There is a slightly higher percentage of female INFPs than male INFPs, with 4.6% of women being this personality type and 4.1% of men.
9. ISTP: 5.4% of the population
The ninth rarest personality type is ISTP, making up 5.4% of the population. ISTPs are practical and logical thinkers who enjoy working with their hands. They have a knack for understanding how things work and are often drawn to activities like building, fixing, or tinkering with machines. ISTPs also enjoy taking risks and can be quite daring in their pursuits.
Of the 5.4% of ISTPs in the population, there are significantly more men of this personality type than women. 8.5% of the male population are ISTPs and this number is 2.3% for the female population. This actually makes ISTP the rarest personality type for female Sensors.
10. ENFP: 8.1% of the population
ENFPs make up 8.1% of the population, making them the tenth rarest personality type. This tenth position makes ENFPs the most common out of the iNtuitive personality types. ENFPs are compassionate and outgoing people who are always looking for a new adventure. They have a deep appreciation for art, culture, and aesthetics. They’re also excellent communicators who can easily connect with other people on an emotional level.
Of the 8.1% of ENFPs, there are more female ENFPs than male ENFPs. 9.7% of women are ENFPs, which compares to 6.4% of men.
11. ESFP: 8.5% of the population
Eleventh on the list is ESFPs, who make up 8.5% of the population. ESFPs are fun-loving people who enjoy experiencing life to the fullest. They’re outgoing and often have a great sense of humor which they use to connect with other people. ESFPs love being around others and thrive when interacting with different personalities.
Female ESFPs make up 10.1% of the female population, while male ESFPs make up 6.9% of the male population.
12. ESTJ: 8.7% of the population
ESTJs make up 8.7% of the population, making them the twelfth rarest personality type. ESTJs are logical and practical people who prefer to focus on facts and objective truths in any situation. They’re also natural-born leaders and excel at organizing resources and delegating tasks. However, their factual nature means that they can come across as abrasive at times.
There are more male ESTJs than female ESTJs, with 11.2% of the male population being ESTJ compared to 6.3% of the female population. This puts ESTJ as the second most common personality type for males.
13. ISFP: 8.8% of the population
ISFPs make up 8.8% of the population and are the thirteenth rarest personality type. ISFPs are warm, compassionate people who love to experience life through their senses. They’re creative and imaginative, with a deep appreciation for beauty, art, and music. ISFPs prefer to live in the moment and enjoy focusing on the present rather than worrying about what might happen in the future.
ISFPs make up 9.9% of the female population, which compares to 7.6% of the male population. This means that it’s a fairly even split in terms of gender.
14. ISTJ: 11.6% of the population
The third least rare personality type is the ISTJ, which makes up 11.6% of the population. ISTJs are logical and organized people who prefer to focus on facts and practical considerations in any given situation. They’re reliable and dependable individuals who are often seen as natural leaders in their communities.
There is a significantly higher percentage of male ISTJs than female. 16.4% of the male population are this personality type and this number is 6.9% for women. This makes ISTJ the most common personality type among males.
15. ESFJ: 12.0% of the population
ESFJ is the second least rare personality type, with 12.0% of the population falling into this category. ESFJs are warm and caring people who enjoy interacting with others and building strong relationships. They’re also natural-born organizers and excel at managing resources efficiently.
The ESFJ personality type is significantly more common among women than men, with 16.9% of the female population being ESFJ compared to 7.5% of the male population. This makes ESFJ the second most common personality type for women.
16. ISFJ: 13.8% of the population
The least rare, or the most common, personality type is the ISFJ. ISFJs make up 13.8% of the population. ISFJs are gentle and reliable people who enjoy helping others and taking care of those around them. They have a strong sense of duty and take pride in seeing their hard work pay off. Loyalty and commitment are important values for ISFJs.
ISFJs make up 19.40% of the female population and 8.10% of the male population, making them the most common personality type for females.
What is the rarest personality type?
Overall, INFJ is the rarest personality type out of all 16 personality types. They make up only 1.5% of the population. While INFJs are the rarest type in terms of the overall population, there are other types that are considered “rarer” for different genders. For females, INTJ and ENTJ are the joint-rarest types at 0.90% of the female population. On the male side, INFJ is the rarest at 1.2% of the male population, followed closely by ENFJ at 1.60%.
The top four rarest types, INFJ, ENTJ, INTJ, and ENFJ, are all iNtuitive and Judger personality types. Combined, they make up less than 8% of the population.
There is a clear weighting towards iNtuitive types among the rarest personality types. This can be seen in the fact that all eight of the iNtuitive personality types make up only 27% of the population. While all eight of the Sensor personality types make up 73% of the population. From this, we can see that when it comes to rarity, iNtuitive personality types have an advantage.
It should be noted, though, that everyone is unique and should not compare their personality type to anyone else’s. Each individual has something special and valuable to offer the world, no matter how common or rare their personality type may be. Embracing your traits and celebrating what makes you special is always a great way to go about life. After all, the world is a much more interesting place when it’s full of people with diverse personalities.
