Provided is a piezoelectric element in which a first electrode, a piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode are sequentially stacked on a substrate, the piezoelectric layer being formed of composite oxide having a perovskite structure which contains at least Pb, Nb, and Ti, in which the piezoelectric layer has a tetragonal crystal structure, the crystal is oriented to {100} against the substrate, and regions are mixed in a crystal lattice, each region including a (100) plane and a (001) plane which are orthogonal to a stacking direction, and the composite oxide of the piezoelectric layer is represented by the following general expression. xPb(Ni1/3,Nb2/3)O3-yPbZrO3-zPbTiO3 (10≦x≦40, 0