The average daily time spent reading by individuals in the United States in 2023 amounted to 0.26 hours, or 15.6 minutes. According to the study, adults over the age of 75 were the most avid readers, spending over 45 minutes reading each day. Meanwhile, those aged between 15 and 19 years read for less than nine minutes per day on average. Reading and COVID-19 Daily time reading increased among most consumers between 2019 and 2020, part of which could be linked to the unprecedented increases in media consumption during COVID-19 shutdowns. The mean annual expenditure on books per consumer unit also increased year over year, along with spending on digital book readers. Book reading habits A 2020 survey on preferred book formats found that 70 percent of U.S. adults favored print books over e-books or audiobooks. However, engagement with digital books is growing. Figures from an annual study on book consumption revealed that the share of adults who reported reading an audiobook in the last year almost doubled between 2011 and 2019, and e-book readership also grew overall during that period.

In 2023, adults in the United States spent more time reading on weekends than weekdays, according to recent data. The average time spent reading in the U.S. amounted to 0.28 hours (almost 17 minutes) on weekends and holidays, while daily time spent reading on weekdays in 2023 dropped back to pre-pandemic levels at a quarter of an hour.

In 2023, the average adult literacy rates (15 years and older) in Latin America and the Caribbean amounted to 94.79 percent. Literacy rates in Latin America and the Caribbean have been slightly improving in all three age groups since 2014.

In the past five decades, the global literacy rate among adults has grown from 67 percent in 1976 to 87.36 percent in 2023. In 1976, males had a literacy rate of 76 percent, compared to a rate of 58 percent among females. This difference of over 17 percent in 1976 has fallen to just seven percent in 2020. Although gaps in literacy rates have fallen across all regions in recent decades, significant disparities remain across much of South Asia and Africa, while the difference is below one percent in Europe and the Americas. Reasons for these differences are rooted in economic and cultural differences across the globe. In poorer societies, families with limited means are often more likely to invest in their sons' education, while their daughters take up a more domestic role. Varieties do exist on national levels, however, and female literacy levels can sometimes exceed the male rate even in impoverished nations, such as Lesotho (where the difference was over 17 percent in 2014); nonetheless, these are exceptions to the norm.

There is a gender gap in the global literacy rate. Although literacy rates have generally increased worldwide for both men and women, men are on average more literate than women. As of 2023, about 90.6 percent of men and a little less than 84.1 percent of women in the world were literate. Adult literacy rate is defined as the percentage of people aged 15 years and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life. Youth literacy rate Not only does the literacy gender gap concern adults, it also exists among the world’s younger generations aged 15 to 24. Despite an overall increase in literacy, young men are still more literate than young women. In fact, the global youth literacy rate as gender parity index was 0.98 as of 2023, indicating that young women are not yet as literate as young men. Gender pay gap Gender gaps occur in many different spheres of global society. One such issue concerns salary gender gaps in the professional life. Regarding the controlled gender pay gap, which measures the median salary for men and women with the same job and qualifications, women still earned less than men as of 2024. The difference was even bigger when measuring the median salary for all men and women. However, not everyone worries about gender pay gaps. According to a survey from 2021, 54 percent of the female respondents deemed the gender pay gap a real problem, compared to 45 percent of the male respondents.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in Reading Township, Michigan, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 16,160, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 188,219. This indicates that the top earners earn 12 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 241,961, which is 128.55% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 1497.28% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Reading township median household income. You can refer the same here

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in Reading, MI, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 12,123, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 144,286. This indicates that the top earners earn 12 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 183,290, which is 127.03% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 1511.92% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Reading median household income. You can refer the same here

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in Reading, PA, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 9,304, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 147,538. This indicates that the top earners earn 16 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 249,221, which is 168.92% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 2678.64% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Reading median household income. You can refer the same here

In early 2021, a survey found that 59 percent of adults in the United States with high school education or less had read or listened to a book in the last year. By contrast, almost 90 percent of adults who had graduated college or pursued further education after college had engaged with a print, e-book, or audiobook in the 12 months leading to the survey.

a U.S.-born respondents’ mean literacy score (277) is just above the Level 3 threshold (276–325), whereas immigrants’ mean score (241) corresponds to lower Level 2 (226–275).b U.S.-born and immigrant respondents’ mean numeracy scores both correspond to Level 2 (226–275), but they fall at the higher (260) and lower (228) ends of Level 2, respectively.Note: Means and standard deviations reported for continuous variables. Percentages reported for categorical variables; Difference of means/percentage t-tests to determine sig of differences, p-values represent two-tailed testsN = 4,646; weighted valuesDescriptive Statistics for Sample Characteristics by U.S.-Born versus Immigrant.

During a survey held in early 2021, it was found that 83 percent of adults aged between 18 and 29 years old had read a book in any format in the previous year, up by two percent from the share who said the same in 2019. The survey results showed that adults within this age category were more likely than older respondents to have read a book within the last twelve months.

Book readers in the U.S.

While it is mostly believed that book reading is a vanishing pastime, particularly among Millennials, surveys among consumers in the U.S. have shown the opposite. The share of book readers in the U.S. has varied from 72 percent to 79 percent between 2011 and 2016.

In regards to age of book readers in the country, a 2016 survey shows about 80 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 to 29 had read at least one book in the previous 12 months, the highest share amongst all age groups. About 73 percent of the respondents aged between 30 to 49 years old said they read at least one book in the last 12 months. The share among respondents between 50 and 64 years old stood at 70 percent, whereas 67 percent of respondents aged 65 plus stated reading book during the time measured. In terms of education level, book readers in the U.S. are more likely to have a college degree, or at least some college education – 86 percent and 81 percent respectively. Women in the U.S. read slightly more than men; 68 percent of male respondents started reading at least one book in the previous 12 months, against 77 percent of female respondents that said the same.

Despite the rise of digital platforms and the rising popularity of e-reading devices such as Kindle, Kobo and others, printed books still remain the most popular book format in the U.S., as 65 percent of Americans stated preference for printed books in 2016. E-books were consumed by 28 percent of respondents in 2016, whereas audio books were listened by 14 percent of the respondents. Millennials accounted for the largest share of printed book readers in the U.S. – 72 percent as of 2016.

The statistic shows the average number of books consumers read per year in the United States in 2017, sorted by age. During the survey, 43 percent of respondents aged 60 and older stated that they read more than 15 books on average per year.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in North Reading, Massachusetts, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 37,614, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 532,905. This indicates that the top earners earn 14 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 996,283, which is 186.95% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 2648.70% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for North Reading town median household income. You can refer the same here

This statistic shows the frequency of reading comic books among adults in the United States as of November 2018, broken down by age group. The data shows that 75 percent of U.S. respondents aged 55 or above said that they had never read a comic book, compared to 48 percent of those aged 18 to 34 years who said the same. Similarly, six percent of 18-34 year olds said that they read comics once a month, compared to just one percent of respondents aged 55 or older.

In 2023, the illiteracy rate among adults aged 15 years and older was almost 32 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. In South Asia, the illiteracy rate was 25 percent. Adult illiteracy rate is defined as the percentage of the population aged 15 and older who can not read or write. Even though illiteracy continues to persist around the world, illiteracy levels have been reduced significantly over the past decades.

A survey held in February 2022 revealed that most consumers never use newspapers as a source of news, and only 21 percent of adults aged 65 or above (those who engage with newspapers the most) reported reading newspapers every day. Newspapers are less popular as a news source than radio, and are also among the least used daily news sources among adults aged 18 years or older.

The graph presents data on the time spent in reading the Bible in the United States as of January 2016. During the survey, 29 percent of respondents between the ages of 51 to 69 stated they spent on average 30 to 44 minutes reading the Bible in each sitting.

The statistic shows data on the share of kids who have read a Harry Potter book in the United States as of October 2016, by age group. Overall, 37 percent of kids in the U.S. have read a Harry Potter book. According to the source, 49 percent of kids aged 15 to 17 have read a Harry Potter book.