75%
of U.S. adults read at least part of one book in the past 12 months.
The result comes from a Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2025.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗DIAMINITY Reading Reference
U.S. Reading Statistics: 2026
A current reference for writers, readers, educators, and anyone tracking how Americans read. Last updated August 6, 2026.
At a glance
Reading remains broad. Print still leads.
Most U.S. adults report reading at least one book in a year, with print the most common format. E-books and audiobooks now reach substantial audiences too. The figures below pair those reading-habit signals with the latest available federal reading-assessment results.
64%
of U.S. adults read a print book in the past 12 months.
Print remains the most common book format in Pew’s 2025 survey.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗31%
of U.S. adults read an e-book in the past 12 months.
The share was 17% in 2011, according to the same Pew trend series.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗26%
of U.S. adults listened to an audiobook in the past 12 months.
That is more than double the 11% reported in 2011.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗38%
of U.S. adults read one to five books in the past year.
This was the largest reading-volume group in Pew’s October 2025 survey.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗7%
of U.S. adults took part in a book club in the past 12 months.
Reading is widespread, while organised reading groups remain a smaller part of the market.
Source: Pew Research Center, April 9, 2026 ↗33%
of U.S. fourth-grade students performed at or above Proficient in reading in 2022.
The federal assessment reported 35% at or above Proficient in 2019.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2024 ↗31%
of U.S. eighth-grade students performed at or above Proficient in reading in 2022.
The corresponding figure was 34% in 2019.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2024 ↗Sources and method
How to read these figures.
This page brings together two public sources. Pew Research Center surveyed U.S. adults in October 2025 about their reading habits. The National Center for Education Statistics reports results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, with the latest reading assessment results shown here from 2022. The measures describe different groups and should not be compared as though they answer the same question.
- Pew Research Center, “Americans still opt for print books over digital or audio versions; few are in book clubs,” April 9, 2026. ↗
- National Center for Education Statistics, “Reading Performance,” 2024. ↗
Cite this page
DIAMINITY Publishing. “U.S. Reading Statistics: 2026.” Updated August 6, 2026. https://diaminity.com/reading-statistics
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