Last Updated on: August 17, 2022 by Schilling Arden | Fact Checked

Literacy Statistics 2022

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Literacy Statistics are critical in determining the level of literacy within a population. They can help to identify areas where literacy levels are low and identify potential interventions to improve literacy rates.

Furthermore, literacy statistics can be used to compare the literacy levels of different groups within a population and to monitor changes in literacy over time. Consequently, literacy statistics is a valuable tool for policy-makers and educators alike.

In which LMS platform should you invest your time and money? This review will tell you more about it.

Report Highlights

In 2022, an average of 79% of American adults will be able to read and write.
Twenty-one percent of Americans will be unable to read or write by 2022.
Most adults cannot read or write at a level beyond the sixth grade.
Illiteracy is estimated to cost the United States economy $2.2 trillion a year.
More than a third of adults who are unable to read or write are foreign-born.
The majority of children in Massachusetts were literate.
The lowest percentage of schoolchildren were unable to read and write in New Mexico.
The highest proportion of adults in New Hampshire was literate.
Adult literacy rates in California were the lowest in the nation.
In 2013, 66% of fourth-graders in the United States were unable to read on average.

Credit:- Thinkimpact

Child Literacy Statistics

The average reading score for fourth and eighth graders in 2017 was higher than in 1992, but not considerably higher than in 2015. This is according to the 2018 Digest of Education Statistics.

While the gap between White and Black and White and Hispanic pupils has narrowed considerably between 1992 and 2017, it hasn’t narrowed at all between 2015 and 2017.

Compared to 8th-grade boys, 8th-grade girls scored 10 points higher on the reading portion of the 2017 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Between 1992 and 2017, students in the 4th grade improved by 5 points, while students in the 8th grade improved by 7 points.
When it came to children’s literacy skills, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maryland ranked top, in that order (highest to lowest).
There were fewer youngsters in Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Mexico who could read and write than in any other state (highest to lowest).
All fourth-graders in the United States were unable to read proficiently in 2013. This marked a 6 percent increase over the results recorded in 2003.

Child Literacy Statistics by State (4th Grade)

Credit:- Thinkimpact

Adult Literacy Statistics

The average rate of adult literacy in the United States is 88%.
More than 12,000 adults between the ages of 16 and 74 were assessed by the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) over the course of five years, from 2012 to 2017.
In 2012, 2014, and 2017, the PIACC study found that the US average score was 264 out of 500 points.
New Hampshire, Minnesota, and North Dakota had the highest literacy rates, in that order.
Floridians are the least likely to be literate, followed by New Yorkers and Californians.

Adult Literacy Rate and PIACC Score Estimate by State

By Sandra Craft, ThinkImpact Updated: January 17, 2025

48+ US Literacy Statistics 2025

Report Highlights

On average, 79% of U.S. adults nationwide are literate in 2025.
21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2025.
54% of adults have literacy below a 6th-grade level (20% are below a 5th-grade level).
Low levels of literacy costs the US up to 2.2 trillion per year.
34% of adults lacking literacy proficiency were born outside the US.
Massachusetts was the state with the highest rate of child literacy.
New Mexico was the state with the lowest child literacy rate.
New Hampshire was the state with the highest percentage of adults considered literate.
The state with the lowest adult literacy rate was California.
On average, nationwide, 66% of 4th-grade children in the U.S. could not read proficiently in 2013.

Adult Literacy Statistics

The literacy rate for adults across the U.S. averages 79%.
20% of adults read below a 5th-grade level.
54% of adults read below a 5th-grade level.
Between 2012 and 2017, the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIACC) surveyed the abilities of 12,330 adults between 16 – 74 years of age, with representatives from every U.S. county and state as well as the District of Columbia.
Based on the PIACC survey for the years 2012, 2014, and 2017, the average score nationwide in the U.S. was 264 out of 500 points.
New Hampshire, Minnesota, and North Dakota had the highest rates of literacy, in descending order.
Florida, New York, and California had the lowest rates of literacy, also in descending order.

Adult Literacy Rate and PIACC Score Estimate by State

US Literacy Rates (data from nces.ed.gov) Light Blue = below average / Dark Blue = above average

State	Literacy Rate (%)	Literacy Rank	PIACC Estimate	PIACC Rank
Alabama	85.2	39	259	44
Alaska	90.8	19	277	5
Arizona	86.9	33	262	37
Arkansas	86.3	37	259	45
California	76.9	50	257	46
Colorado	90.1	22	272	16
Connecticut	91.4	15	271	18
Delaware	89.3	26	264	34
District of Columbia	n/a	n/a	277	4
Florida	80.3	48	259	43
Georgia	83.3	45	260	39
Hawaii	84.1	40	270	22
Idaho	89.5	25	270	24
Illinois	87.1	32	266	31
Indiana	92.0	12	266	27
Iowa	92.5	9	273	9
Kansas	92.2	11	271	19
Kentucky	87.8	29	261	38
Louisiana	84.0	41	252	51
Maine	92.6	8	273	11
Maryland	88.8	27	268	26
Massachusetts	90.1	23	273	13
Michigan	91.7	13	271	21
Minnesota	94.0	2	279	2
Mississippi	84.0	42	252	49
Missouri	92.5	10	266	30
Montana	91.2	16	273	14
Nebraska	92.7	6	271	17
Nevada	83.9	43	255	47
New Hampshire	94.2	1	279	1
New Jersey	83.1	46	264	33
New Mexico	83.5	44	252	50
New York	77.9	49	260	42
North Carolina	86.4	36	265	32
North Dakota	93.7	3	276	6
Ohio	90.9	18	268	25
Oklahoma	87.7	30	263	35
Oregon	89.8	24	273	10
Pennsylvania	87.4	31	266	28
Rhode Island	91.5	14	266	29
South Carolina	85.3	38	263	36
South Dakota	93.0	5	271	20
Tennessee	86.8	34	260	40
Texas	81.0	47	254	48
Utah	90.6	20	274	8
Vermont	93.4	4	277	3
Virginia	88.0	28	270	23
Washington	90.2	21	275	7
West Virginia	86.6	35	260	41
Wisconsin	92.7	7	273	12
Wyoming	91.1	17	272	15
Average	88	25.5	264	26

Child Literacy Statistics

According to the 2018 Digest of Education Statistics, reading scores for most children in 4th and 8th grade were measurably higher in 2017 than they were in 1992, though not measurably higher than they were in 2015. Additionally, the performance gap between certain ethnic groups, such as between White and Black students and between White and Hispanic groups, decreased significantly between 1992 and 2017, though not very much between 2015 and 2017.

On average, in 2017, female 8th graders scored 10 points higher than male 8th graders on the reading portion of the Average National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Fourth-grade students, overall, improved 5 points between 1992 and 2017, while 8thgrade students, overall, improved 7 points between 1992 and 2017.
The Top 3 states for the highest child literacy rates were Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Hampshire, in that order (highest to lowest).
The Bottom 3 states for child literacy rates were Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Mexico, (highest to lowest).
Across the U.S., 66% of all 4th graders in 2013 were reading below proficiency levels, which was a 6% improvement from 2003.

Child Literacy Statistics by State (4th Grade)

State	Rank (Lower is Better)	Students Not Reading Proficiently (%)	Lower Income Students (%)	Higher Income Students (%)	Improvement (%)
Alabama	35	69	82	51	12
Alaska	44	73	85	60	-1
Arizona	40	72	85	57	6
Arkansas	32	68	78	54	6
California	43	73	85	54	8
Colorado	8	59	79	54	6
Connecticut	5	57	81	43	0
Delaware	13	62	75	48	7
District of Columbia	45	77	87	39	14
Florida	12	61	73	42	10
Georgia	26	66	79	47	10
Hawaii	37	70	83	57	11
Idaho	31	67	78	56	4
Illinois	28	66	84	48	4
Indiana	14	62	75	49	7
Iowa	16	62	77	52	5
Kansas	14	62	78	46	7
Kentucky	21	64	77	49	7
Louisiana	46	77	85	58	4
Maine	19	63	76	52	2
Maryland	2	55	76	42	19
Massachusetts	1	53	75	38	12
Michigan	34	69	81	58	-1
Minnesota	9	59	77	48	6
Mississippi	47	79	85	58	4
Missouri	23	65	77	51	2
Montana	24	65	78	54	0
Nebraska	19	63	77	51	7
Nevada	42	73	83	56	9
New Hampshire	3	55	76	47	8
New Jersey	7	58	78	44	5
New Mexico	48	79	85	61	2
New York	18	63	77	47	5
North Carolina	22	65	78	47	3
North Dakota	29	66	78	60	3
Ohio	17	63	80	48	5
Oklahoma	36	70	79	57	5
Oregon	30	67	79	50	3
Pennsylvania	10	60	77	45	10
Rhode Island	15	62	81	45	13
South Carolina	39	72	83	54	3
South Dakota	33	68	82	58	-1
Tennessee	27	66	82	48	11
Texas	38	72	83	53	-1
Utah	20	63	76	54	7
Vermont	6	58	74	46	8
Virginia	4	57	79	44	12
Washington	11	60	77	47	10
West Virginia	41	73	76	63	-3
Wisconsin	25	65	80	53	3
Wyoming	20	63	76	54	5
Average	24	66	80	49	6

Literacy Rate By Country 2025

The following table provides an overview of the literacy rates for 20 diverse countries around the world, reflecting data available as of 2025. These figures represent the percentage of the population aged 15 and over who can read and
write, though definitions and methodologies may vary by country.

Country	Literacy Rate (%)
Australia	99
Brazil	93
Canada	99
China	96.4
Egypt	75.6
France	99
Germany	99
India	74.4
Indonesia	95.4
Italy	99
Japan	99
Kenya	81.5
Mexico	94.5
Nigeria	62
Pakistan	59.1
Russia	99.7
South Africa	94.4
Turkey	96.2
United Kingdom	99
United States	99

References

1. U.S. Department of Education Data Points Adult Literacy in the United States
2. NCES Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
3. What is PIAAC?
4. Digest of Education Statistics 2018
5. Literacy Project – 30 Key Child Literacy Stats Parents Need to Be Aware of
6. NCES States and Counties with Highest and Lowest Levels of Adult Literacy
7. NCES PIAAC Skills Map
8. NCES PIACC Comparison Charts
9. World Population Review U.S. Literacy Rates by State
10. States Where Children Are Struggling the Most to Read
11. AECF Data Snapshot Early Reading Proficiency

77+ US Reading Statistics 2025 (Surveys and Facts)

Reading Proficiency in the US

NAEP and The Nation’s Report Card
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a national assessment program conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics to inform the US public of elementary and secondary education status. The long-running initiative measures explicitly the academic achievement of American students in reading, mathematics, and science domains.

Comparing 2019 and 2022 NAEP Reading Scores

	2019	2022	2019	2022
10th	168	162	213	209
25th	197	192	240	236
50th	225	222	266	263
75th	248	246	289	287
90th	266	266	309	307

NAEP results for grades 4 and 8 are reported at the state and district levels as The Nation’s Report Card.

Reading Statistics by States

State-specific summative assessment results show that some US states have lower reading proficiency than others. Alaska’s Literacy Blueprint 2023 noted that 80% of third-grade students in the state were not proficient in reading.
The state’s scores also hovered below the national average, with Alaska ranking 49th in fourth-grade reading and 46th in eighthgrade reading nationally in 2022, per The Nation’s Report Card.

You can find out more about literacy rates in the United States

Proficiency in reading at the State level

NAEP Reading Assessment Results

State	4th-Grade		8th-Grade
State	2019	2022	2019	2022
Massachusetts	231	227	273	269
New Hampshire	224	223	268	263
North Dakota	221	218	263	258
Vermont	222	217	268	264
Minnesota	222	215	264	260
Maine	221	213	265	257
Montana	222	219	265	261
Iowa	221	218	262	260
Connecticut	224	219	270	264
Wisconsin	220	217	267	262
Kansas	219	215	263	256
New Jersey	227	223	270	270
South Dakota	222	218	263	262
Wyoming	227	225	265	261
Nebraska	222	219	264	259
Virginia	224	214	262	260
Washington	220	217	266	262
Ohio	222	219	267	262
Indiana	222	217	266	261
Colorado	225	223	267	263
Pennsylvania	223	219	264	259
Idaho	223	215	266	264
Oregon	218	210	264	257
Utah	225	221	267	265
Missouri	218	213	263	258
New York	220	214	262	262
Michigan	218	212	263	259
Delaware	218	208	260	253
North Carolina	221	216	263	256
Texas	216	214	256	255
Illinois	218	218	265	262
Maryland	220	212	264	259
Rhode Island	220	217	262	259
Kentucky	221	217	263	258
Oklahoma	216	208	258	251
Alaska	204	204	252	253
West Virginia	213	205	256	249
Florida	225	225	263	260
South Carolina	216	216	259	254
Georgia	218	216	262	260
Tennessee	219	214	262	258
Arkansas	215	212	259	255
Arizona	216	215	259	259
Nevada	218	212	258	259
Alabama	212	213	253	251
New Mexico	208	202	252	248
Hawaii	218	219	258	259
California	216	214	259	259
Louisiana	210	212	257	257
Mississippi	219	217	256	253

Source: NAEP Report Card

US Reading Scores Per Year

Per 2022 NAEP Reading Assessment highlights, 33.25% of fourth-graders and 30.80% of eighth-graders in the US have attained reading proficiency.

Here is a summary by year:

Changes in NAEP reading achievement-level results

Year	4th-Grade Reading Scores	Percentage (%) of 4th Graders Proficient in Reading	8th-Grade Reading Scores	Percentage (%) of 8th Graders Proficient in Reading
2003	216	31.46%	261	32.22%
2005	217	31.5%	260	30.76%
2007	220	33.09%	261	31.23%
2009	220	33.03%	262	32.39%
2011	220	33.71%	264	33.5%
2013	221	35.22%	266	36.14%
2015	221	36.11%	264	34.31%
2017	221	36.55%	265	36.13%
2019	219	35.34%	262	33.58%
2022	216	33.25%	259	30.80%

A study featured in the international peer-reviewed Psychological Medicine journal in June 2023 concluded that cultivating a habit of reading for pleasure in children at an early age (2 to 9 years) improves cognitive performance and mental well-being in their later adolescent years.

The cross-sectional and longitudinal study published by Cambridge University Press drew from data of slightly over 10,200 American adolescents. It determined the optimal amount of reading for pleasure for a young adult to be roughly 12 hours per week.

Reading Habits and Preferences in the US by Year

The global print book industry has seen a radical shift in the last few years, specifically in how books are formatted, distributed, and consumed.

The latter is a result of new-age consumers moving to online and digital media formats as their preferred option.

Still, print books have retained their relevance, cementing the forecast that they are unlikely to be replaced entirely.

Print is still the most popular book format, with at least two-thirds of US readers in any year reading a hardcopy.

Year	Percentage (%) of adults who have read a book in:
Year	Any format	Print	e-Book	Audiobook
2011	78	72	17	11
2012	74	65	23	13
2014	76	69	28	14
2015	72	63	27	12
2016	73	65	28	14
2018	74	67	26	28
2019	72	65	25	20
2021	75	65	30	23

Source: 2021 survey results

Publishers Weekly data from Jan 2022 showed that print book unit sales have steadily risen since 2012, notwithstanding the shift to digital media consumption in the last decade. The upward trend peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, with sales going up from just under $760 million in 2019 to $843.10 million in 2021.
While the sales volume has been increasing, a contrasting trend has been observed in overall revenue from book sales.

US Print Book Industry Statistics – Bookstore Distribution, Sales and Revenue

Year	Volume of Units Sold ($ million) *	Revenue from Book Sales ($ billion)	No. of Companies **	No. of Locations
2012	591	30.9	1567	1900
2013	620	30.6	1632	1971
2014	635	30.5	1664	***
2015	653	31.3	1712	2227
2016	674	31.3	1775	2311
2017	686.9	31.2	1757	2321
2018	698.4	29.3	1835	2470
2019	693.7	27.8	1887	2524
2020	757.9	25.7	***	***
2021	843.1	27.9	1701	2100
2022	788.7	28.10	2023	2506
2023	***	***	2185	2599

* Data on book units sold and revenue sourced from Statista
** Data on independent bookstores sourced from Statista
*** Comparable data not available

The US book publishing industry generated $25.7 billion in net revenue in 2020 and $27.9 billion the following year.
Per the latest data, the US book publishing industry comprises 2,185 independent bookselling companies.
In 2020, the volume of bookstore sales in the US fell to $6.5 billion, the lowest figure recorded since 1992, as the pandemic detrimentally affected sales but recovered the following year.
US bookstore sales rose in 2021, totaling $8.47 billion, with preliminary estimates of $8.99 billion for 2022.
Globally, the surge in reading and book sales has continued manifesting, with the book market forecasted to exceed $163.9 billion by 2030.Globally, the surge in reading and book sales has continued manifesting, with the book market forecasted to exceed $163.9 billion by 2030.
In the US, forecasts show that by 2025, the book market is expected to generate more than $30 billion.

Reading and Technology

Though print remains the dominant book format among US readers even as of December 2022, book lovers have been embracing technology in their hobbies.

Audiobook and e-book alternatives have seen growing demand as consumers capitalize on the accessibility and convenience that they offer.

A December 2022 survey found that 50% of US book lovers read a paperback or hardcover book across the year, while 36% preferred e-books. Audiobooks appealed to just under a tenth of the respondents.
The share of adults who consume e-books and audiobooks has increased over the past decade from 23% and 13% for these categories in 2012 to 30% and 23% respectively in 2021. Meanwhile, the share of those who read print books has remained relatively steady between 65% to 69% during this period.
Revenue generated from audiobook sales rose from $1.3 billion in 2020 to $1.8 billion in 2022, while the average audiobook enthusiast listened to an average of 8.1 books in 2020, a notable increase from 6.8 books in 2019.
The preference for audiobooks is most notable among young readers compared to any other age group. 3 out of 10 young adult readers (18 to 29 years) listened to an audiobook in 2021. In comparison, only 1 out of 10 of readers aged 65 and older listened to an audiobook in the same period.

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Reading – Age, Gender, Ethnicity, and Employment Status

A 2015 report from the National Endowment for the Arts found that the fraction of US adults who had read at least one work of literature in the previous year had dropped from 56% in 1992 to 46% in 2014.
The average time spent reading is directly correlated with employment status and the ability to spare time. Unemployed US adults spent the most hours reading between 2018 and 2021, followed by part-time and then full-time, per a Statista survey conducted in the US.

Employment as a factor affecting reading

Employment Status	Avg. time spent reading (hours)
Employment Status	2018	2019	2020	2021
Full-time	0.15	0.15	0.21	0.17
Part-time	0.26	0.27	0.24	0.24
Unemployed	0.42	0.44	0.52	0.42

Reading Statistics by Gender

Year	Reading time men	Reading time women	Daily average reading time (minutes)	Share of everyday men readers	Percentage of everyday women readers	Percentage of Americans who read every day
2012	15:36	22:48	19:48	17.50%	23.70%	20.70%
2013	15:36	22:48	19:12	17.30%	23.40%	20.50%
2014	16:12	22:12	19:12	18.00%	24.30%	21.30%
2015	16:12	22:12	19:12	18.20%	23.90%	21.10%
2016	15:00	19:48	17:24	17.00%	21.80%	19.50%
2017	13:12	19:48	16:48	15.20%	22.00%	18.70%
2018	14:24	17:24	15:36	16.20%	18.80%	17.50%
2019	13:48	18:36	16:12	16.00%	19.90%	18.00%
2021	13:48	19:12	16:48	14.70%	20.80%	17.90%

Reading Statistics by Age

Year	Ages 15 to 24		Ages 25 to 54		Ages 55 to 64		Ages 65+
Year	Avg. time spent reading	Share of everyday readers within age group	Avg. time spent reading	Share of everyday readers within age group	Avg. time spent reading	Share of everyday readers within age group	Average time spent reading
2012	07:48	8.80%	12:00	15.40%	25:48	27.20%	48:36
2013	10:48	12.00%	09:36	13.40%	25:12	27.30%	49:48
2014	10:12	10.10%	10:12	15.00%	22:12	27.40%	49:12
2015	09:00	10.00%	11:24	15.30%	22:12	25.50%	48:36
2016	07:48	9.40%	09:36	13.70%	22:12	25.50%	40:48
2017	07:12	8.50%	09:36	13.50%	18:00	22.70%	41:24
2018	06:36	7.60%	08:24	11.70%	16:12	21.40%	41:24
2019	06:36	8.80%	10:12	13.60%	16:48	19.60%	36:36
2021	09:36	10.80%	10:48	13.10%	17:24	20.50%	34:12

A 2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that 27% of US adults did not read a book in 2018. Findings from the survey also implied a strong correlation between literacy (education) levels and time spent reading. 44% of adults in the US with a high school degree or less who participated in the survey hadn’t read a book in the last 12 months, while 92% of college-educated adults said they read a book during the same period.

National Reading Statistics in the US vs other countries

The average person in the US reads at least a dozen books in a year, two fewer than the count for the average woman. This figure doesn’t paint the complete picture, though. On average, only 5.38 books are read to completion.
The median number of books read, i.e., book titles started and not necessarily completed per year across all populations, on the other hand, is four. The latter implies that half the country reads no more than 4 books in a 12-month period.
Compared to other regions, the US ranks 23rd in terms of the fraction of avid readers in the entire population.

Average time spent reading by country

Country	Hours per Person per Week	Country	Hours per Person per Week	Country	Hours per Person per Week
India	10.42	Saudi Arabia	06.48	Canada	05.48
Thailand	09.24	Hong Kong	06.42	Germany	05.42
China	08.00	Poland	06.30	United States of America	05.42
Philippines	07.36	Venezuela	06.24	Italy	05.36
Egypt	07.30	South Africa	06.18	Mexico	05.30
Czech Republic	07.24	Australia	06.18	United Kingdom	05.18
Russia	07.06	Indonesia	06.00	Brazil	05.12
Sweden	06.54	Argentina	05.54	Taiwan	05.00
France	06.54	Turkey	05.54	Japan	04.06
Hungary	06.48	Spain	05.48	Korea	03.06

About Reading Statistics in the U.S.

Reading, as an exercise, involves comprehension of the language or mode of communication in use, extraction of meaning from the information conveyed and retention of the extracted ideas.

The art of reading is, as such, considered a taught skill that is acquired through exposure and perfected by practice.

Though the science of reading remains debatable, the activity is unquestionably a key aspect of learning and an essential part of literacy.

In addition to building language vocabulary and overall proficiency, reading helps unlock the mind by inspiring creativity, broadening thought horizons, and boosting imagination.

Impact of The Pandemic on Reading

The pandemic hindered data collection by organizations, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, resulting in a lack of verifiable comparable figures for the year in many aspects.

Books readership worldwide increased by roughly 35% during the pandemic as people globally took to indoor hobbies. The regional increase in the US was 25%.
A survey published by Statista in June 2020 found that 40% of millennials were likely to read more books at the time compared to 31% of Gen X and 34% of Gen Z.
Reading proficiency of first- through fourth-graders in the US slowed down at the onset of the pandemic due to the abrupt nationwide closure of schools. Second- and third-graders were significantly affected per a 2021 study by researchers at Stanford Graduate School of Education

Reading among Children – Impact and Benefits

Reading not only helps children acquire knowledge but also defines their academic development journey beyond childhood. More than that, proficiency in reading is a requirement for matriculation at all levels of education, from elementary to university.

Newspaper Reading Statistics

Data on daily news consumption in the US as of August 2022 showed that only 5% of adults aged between 18 and 34 years read national newspapers (6% for local). Similarly, only 7% of adults aged between 35 and 44 read national newspapers (same share for local).
On the other hand, 19% of adults aged above 65 years read local newspapers, and 10% spend time reading national newspapers. This trend is also notable in other countries, including the UK, where senior citizens spend an average of 5 hours weekly compared to 2.4 hours/week for those under 25 years.
Press Gazette reported in June 2023 that the total circulation of the most tracked US newspapers nearly 15% in the 12-month period ending in March.
The Wall Street Journal ranked first in highest print circulation in the US for the six months to March 2023, averaging a weekday print circulation of 609,650. The New York Times ranked second with a daily print circulation of 296,330, ahead of third-place the Washington Post and New York Post, respectively.

References

The US Department of Education Archives: Keys to Reading Comprehension
Media Audience and Business Data
Reading Habits in the US – Statistics & Facts
Largest daily newspapers in the US in the six months to March 2023
Printed Book Sales Rising Again in the US
Time Spent Reading in the US
Illiteracy Among Adults in the US
Literacy and Reading Education: Statistics
Science of Reading Colloquium
What is the current state of education in the US?
New Frontiers in Literacy
Stanford study finds reading skills among young students stalled during the pandemic

Literacy Statistics 2022

Literacy Statistics are critical in determining the level of literacy within a population. They can help to identify areas where literacy levels are low and identify potential interventions to improve literacy rates.

Furthermore, literacy statistics can be used to compare the literacy levels of different groups within a population and to monitor changes in literacy over time. Consequently, literacy statistics is a valuable tool for policy-makers and educators alike.

In which LMS platform should you invest your time and money? This review will tell you more about it.

Table of Contents

Report Highlights

Child Literacy Statistics

Child Literacy Statistics by State (4th Grade)

Adult Literacy Statistics

Adult Literacy Rate and PIACC Score Estimate by State

48+ US Literacy Statistics 2025

Adult Literacy Statistics

Adult Literacy Rate and PIACC Score Estimate by State

Child Literacy Statistics

Child Literacy Statistics by State (4th Grade)

Literacy Rate By Country 2025

References

Reading Proficiency in the US

Reading Statistics by States

Proficiency in reading at the State level

US Reading Scores Per Year

Changes in NAEP reading achievement-level results

Reading Habits and Preferences in the US by Year

US Print Book Industry Statistics – Bookstore Distribution, Sales and Revenue

Reading and Technology

Socioeconomic Factors Affecting Reading – Age, Gender, Ethnicity, and Employment Status

Employment as a factor affecting reading

Reading Statistics by Gender

Reading Statistics by Age

National Reading Statistics in the US vs other countries

Average time spent reading by country

About Reading Statistics in the U.S.

Impact of The Pandemic on Reading

Reading among Children – Impact and Benefits

Newspaper Reading Statistics

References

What Is the Average IQ in 2025? (US and Other Countries)

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