Which U.S. presidents have the perfect face? Study reveals all
- James K. Polk, James A. Garfield and Benjamin Harrison are ranked the most facially proportionate U.S. presidents, each achieving a perfect Golden Ratio score of 100.
- George H. W. Bush was ranked last, with a score of just 3.8 out of 100.
- Current president Donald Trump ranked 14th overall, with a score of 86.5.
A new study, carried out by researchers at AI image and video creation platform Magic Hour AI, has revealed the U.S. presidents whose facial proportions most closely align with the golden face ratio, a mathematical measurement often used in studies of facial symmetry and proportion. The presidents with the highest Golden Ratio scores were then ranked accordingly to determine which president is the most facially proportionate.
The Golden Ratio is a mathematical concept dating back to ancient Greece that has long been linked to ideas of beauty and balance. In this study, the score is not based solely on how close a face is to the number 1.618, but on a broader analysis of 478 facial measurements, so the rankings reflect the tool’s overall assessment of facial proportions.
Top 10 most attractive presidents, according to the Golden Ratio
| Rank | President | Presidency No. | Measured Facial Proportion | AI Attractiveness Score (1-10) | Golden Ratio Score (0-100) |
| =1 | James K. Polk | 11 | 1.182 | 5.8 | 100 |
| =1 | James A. Garfield | 20 | 1.209 | 5.6 | 100 |
| =1 | Benjamin Harrison | 23 | 1.208 | 5 | 100 |
| 2 | James Madison | 4 | 1.215 | 5.2 | 99.4 |
| 3 | Woodrow Wilson | 28 | 1.239 | 5 | 96.3 |
| 4 | John Tyler | 10 | 1.244 | 5.2 | 95.7 |
| 5 | James Buchanan | 15 | 1.262 | 4.5 | 93.4 |
| 6 | Rutherford B. Hayes | 19 | 1.282 | 5.4 | 90.9 |
| 7 | Zachary Taylor | 12 | 1.291 | 5.3 | 89.7 |
| 8 | Andrew Jackson | 7 | 1.292 | 4.4 | 89.5 |
| =9 | Warren G. Harding | 29 | 1.294 | 6.4 | 89.3 |
| =9 | Millard Fillmore | 13 | 1.294 | 4.3 | 89.3 |
| =10 | Calvin Coolidge | 30 | 1.304 | 5.9 | 88.1 |
| =10 | John Quincy Adams | 6 | 1.303 | 4.8 | 88.1 |
The presidents with the highest Golden Ratio scores
James K. Polk, James A. Garfield and Benjamin Harrison take the joint top spot, each achieving a perfect score of 100.0. According to the AI analysis, their facial proportions showed the closest alignment with the Golden Ratio among all presidents analyzed. Although all received the same Golden Ratio score, Polk had the highest attractiveness score (5.8), followed by Garfield (5.6), and then Harrison (5), to tie-break their score.
James Madison follows closely behind, scoring 99.4, with facial measurements that strongly matched the mathematical proportions associated with the Golden Ratio.
Woodrow Wilson ranks third, with a score of 96.3, followed by John Tyler at 95.7 and James Buchanan at 93.4, completing the highest-scoring group of presidents.
How modern presidents rank
Among presidents of the modern era, Donald Trump ranks highest for Golden Ratio alignment, placing 14th overall with a score of 86.5.
Other recent presidents ranked as follows:
| Rank | President | Presidency No. | Measured Facial Proportion | AI Attractiveness Score (/10) | Golden Ratio Score (/100) |
| 14 | Donald Trump | 45 & 47 | 1.316 | 5.1 | 86.5 |
| 34 | Bill Clinton | 42 | 1.672 | 5.8 | 40.9 |
| 35 | Joe Biden | 46 | 1.686 | 5.6 | 39.1 |
| 37 | George W. Bush | 43 | 1.792 | 5.8 | 25.4 |
| 38 | Barack Obama | 44 | 1.885 | 5.9 | 13.5 |
| 39 | George H. W. Bush | 41 | 1.961 | 5.8 | 3.8 |
Shockingly, George H. W. Bush actually had the lowest Golden Ratio score of any president.
The study found that presidents with the highest Golden Ratio scores were not necessarily those with the highest AI attractiveness ratings, highlighting the difference between mathematical facial proportions and broader perceptions of attractiveness.
Runbo Li, Co-founder and CEO of Magic Hour AI, commented on the findings:
“Looking at the results, the most interesting finding is that Golden Ratio alignment and perceived attractiveness are not always the same thing. Facial beauty is influenced by many factors, including expression, personality, confidence and cultural preferences, which cannot be captured by a mathematical formula alone.
“What stands out is how poorly some traditionally ‘handsome’ presidents scored on Golden Ratio alignment. JFK, often remembered as one of America’s most photogenic leaders, ranked only 27th. Similarly, George H. W. Bush records the lowest Golden Ratio score of any president analyzed, yet still receives a respectable AI attractiveness score of 5.8 out of 10. It shows that our perception of attractiveness goes far beyond mathematical proportion.
“The results show that several U.S. presidents had facial proportions that closely matched the Golden Ratio, but these measurements should be viewed as a fun exploration of facial symmetry rather than a definitive ranking of attractiveness.
“Historical portraits also introduce limitations, as photography techniques, age, lighting and artistic choices can all affect facial measurements. The study is an entertaining look at how AI interprets facial proportions across presidential history.”
Source: https://attractivenesstest.
Methodology:
All 45 U.S. presidents were analyzed using their official portraits to compare facial proportions using AI.
One portrait per president was analyzed, using the lead portrait from their English Wikipedia article where possible. Where images were too angled, the most front-facing suitable portrait from Wikipedia or Wikimedia Commons was selected. All images were used at 800px resolution.
Each portrait was assessed using attractivenesstest.com‘s Golden Ratio Face Calculator, which analyzes 478 facial landmarks and generates a proprietary Golden Ratio score out of 100 based on multiple facial measurements and its own reference model. The tool also reports a measured facial proportion and an AI attractiveness score out of 10, both of which are included for reference.
Presidents were ranked by the calculator’s Golden Ratio score, with AI attractiveness score used as a tie-breaker. The ranking covers 45 individuals across 47 presidencies, with Grover Cleveland and Donald Trump each appearing once despite serving two non-consecutive terms.
Scores reflect the analyzed portrait rather than the individual. Factors such as portrait style, head angle, lighting and the use of painted rather than photographic portraits for early presidents may influence the results. The analysis is intended for entertainment purposes only and should not be interpreted as a definitive measure of attractiveness.
Full President Ranking
| Rank | President | Presidency No. | Measured Facial Proportion | AI Attractiveness Score (1-10) | Golden Ratio Score (0-100) |
| =1 | James K. Polk | 11 | 1.182 | 5.8 | 100 |
| =1 | James A. Garfield | 20 | 1.209 | 5.6 | 100 |
| =1 | Benjamin Harrison | 23 | 1.208 | 5 | 100 |
| 2 | James Madison | 4 | 1.215 | 5.2 | 99.4 |
| 3 | Woodrow Wilson | 28 | 1.239 | 5 | 96.3 |
| 4 | John Tyler | 10 | 1.244 | 5.2 | 95.7 |
| 5 | James Buchanan | 15 | 1.262 | 4.5 | 93.4 |
| 6 | Rutherford B. Hayes | 19 | 1.282 | 5.4 | 90.9 |
| 7 | Zachary Taylor | 12 | 1.291 | 5.3 | 89.7 |
| 8 | Andrew Jackson | 7 | 1.292 | 4.4 | 89.5 |
| =9 | Warren G. Harding | 29 | 1.294 | 6.4 | 89.3 |
| =9 | Millard Fillmore | 13 | 1.294 | 4.3 | 89.3 |
| =10 | Calvin Coolidge | 30 | 1.304 | 5.9 | 88.1 |
| =10 | John Quincy Adams | 6 | 1.303 | 4.8 | 88.1 |
| 11 | Abraham Lincoln | 16 | 1.305 | 4.9 | 88 |
| 12 | William McKinley | 25 | 1.311 | 6 | 87.1 |
| 12 | George Washington | 1 | 1.311 | 4.9 | 87.1 |
| 13 | Franklin Pierce | 14 | 1.313 | 6.6 | 86.8 |
| 14 | Donald Trump | 45 & 47 | 1.316 | 5.1 | 86.5 |
| 15 | Theodore Roosevelt | 26 | 1.349 | 4.4 | 82.3 |
| 16 | William Henry Harrison | 9 | 1.354 | 5.5 | 81.6 |
| 17 | Andrew Johnson | 17 | 1.356 | 5.4 | 81.3 |
| 18 | Chester A. Arthur | 21 | 1.36 | 5.5 | 80.8 |
| =19 | Grover Cleveland | 22 & 24 | 1.364 | 5 | 80.4 |
| =19 | James Monroe | 5 | 1.364 | 4.8 | 80.4 |
| 20 | Dwight D. Eisenhower | 34 | 1.367 | 4.5 | 80 |
| 21 | Herbert Hoover | 31 | 1.373 | 4.7 | 79.2 |
| 22 | Franklin D. Roosevelt | 32 | 1.389 | 5 | 77.1 |
| 23 | Harry S. Truman | 33 | 1.399 | 5.2 | 75.8 |
| 24 | Ulysses S. Grant | 18 | 1.401 | 5.4 | 75.6 |
| 25 | John Adams | 2 | 1.412 | 4.9 | 74.2 |
| 26 | Richard Nixon | 37 | 1.419 | 5.1 | 73.3 |
| 27 | John F. Kennedy | 35 | 1.426 | 5.3 | 72.4 |
| 28 | William Howard Taft | 27 | 1.433 | 4.8 | 71.5 |
| 29 | Thomas Jefferson | 3 | 1.437 | 5.1 | 70.9 |
| 30 | Lyndon B. Johnson | 36 | 1.476 | 5.3 | 66 |
| 31 | Jimmy Carter | 39 | 1.494 | 4.9 | 63.6 |
| 32 | Ronald Reagan | 40 | 1.552 | 5.1 | 56.2 |
| 33 | Gerald Ford | 38 | 1.577 | 4.6 | 53.1 |
| 34 | Bill Clinton | 42 | 1.672 | 5.8 | 40.9 |
| 35 | Joe Biden | 46 | 1.686 | 5.6 | 39.1 |
| 36 | Martin Van Buren | 8 | 1.791 | 5.2 | 25.6 |
| 37 | George W. Bush | 43 | 1.792 | 5.8 | 25.4 |
| 38 | Barack Obama | 44 | 1.885 | 5.9 | 13.5 |
| 39 | George H. W. Bush | 41 | 1.961 | 5.8 | 3.8 |