The statistic depicts the literacy rate in Mexico from 2008 to 2020. The literacy rate measures the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can read and write. In 2020, Mexico's literacy rate was around 95.25 percent. The source does not provide data for 2019.Education in MexicoThe literacy rate is commonly defined as the share of people in a country who are older than 15 years and are able to read and write. In Mexico, a state with more than 115 million inhabitants, the literacy rate is above 90 percent, making it significantly higher than the global average. More than 70 percent of Mexico’s population is older than 15 years, a figure than has been quite consistent over the last ten years. Mexico’s compulsory education comprises grades 1 to 9, with an optional secondary education up to grade 12. Literacy is considered basic education. The lowest literacy rates can be found in African countries, the highest in Europe. Additionally, the literacy rate is one of the factors that determines a country’s ranking on the Human Development Index of the United Nations, which ranks the overall well-being of a country’s population. Apart from literacy, it also includes factors such as per-capita income, health and life expectancy and others. Mexico is currently not among the countries with the highest Human Development Index value.

The rate of adult literacy as share of the country's population 15 years and above in Mexico was 95 percent in 2020. Between 1980 and 2020, the rate of adult literacy rose by 12 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

Graph and download economic data for Literacy Rate, Adult Total for Mexico (SEADTLITRZSMEX) from 1980 to 2024 about literacy, adult, Mexico, and rate.

Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data was reported at 99.116 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 98.945 % for 2015. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 98.382 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99.116 % in 2016 and a record low of 91.947 % in 1980. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Youth: % of People Age 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for Mexico Literacy Rate Adult Total Percent Of People Ages 15 And Above

Mexico: Female literacy rate, ages 15-24: The latest value from 2022 is 99.17 percent, an increase from 99.1 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 90.04 percent, based on data from 65 countries. Historically, the average for Mexico from 1980 to 2022 is 97.92 percent. The minimum value, 91 percent, was reached in 1980 while the maximum of 99.17 percent was recorded in 2022.

Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 94.860 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.472 % for 2015. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 92.926 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 94.860 % in 2016 and a record low of 82.989 % in 1980. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult: % of People Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); Weighted average;

Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 95.845 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 95.549 % for 2015. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 94.442 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 95.845 % in 2016 and a record low of 86.243 % in 1980. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Male: % of Males Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); Weighted average;

Historical dataset showing Mexico literacy rate by year from 1980 to 2020.

Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data was reported at 93.969 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 93.485 % for 2015. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data is updated yearly, averaging 91.454 % from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 93.969 % in 2016 and a record low of 79.891 % in 1980. Mexico MX: Literacy Rate: Adult Female: % of Females Aged 15 and Above data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); Weighted average;

Actual value and historical data chart for Mexico Elderly Literacy Rate Population 65 Years Male Percent

Actual value and historical data chart for Mexico Literacy Rate Youth Female Percent Of Females Ages 15 24

Mexico: Male literacy rate, ages 15-24: The latest value from 2022 is 98.74 percent, a decline from 98.83 percent in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 91.06 percent, based on data from 65 countries. Historically, the average for Mexico from 1980 to 2022 is 97.96 percent. The minimum value, 93 percent, was reached in 1980 while the maximum of 99 percent was recorded in 2009.

Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) in Mexico was reported at 99.07 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Mexico - Literacy rate, youth male (% of males ages 15-24) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Mexico MX: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data was reported at 1.002 Ratio in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.001 Ratio for 2015. Mexico MX: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data is updated yearly, averaging 1.000 Ratio from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.003 Ratio in 2012 and a record low of 0.976 Ratio in 1980. Mexico MX: Gender Parity Index (GPI): Literacy Rate: Youth Aged 15-24 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Gender parity index for youth literacy rate is the ratio of females to males ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics (http://uis.unesco.org/); Weighted average;

The youth literacy rate (people aged 15-24) in Mexico was 98.95 percent in 2022. Between 1980 and 2022, the youth literacy rate rose by 6.95 percentage points, though the increase followed an uneven trajectory rather than a consistent upward trend.

As of March 2020, around 4.46 million Mexicans over 15 years of age were unable to write or read, approximately 4.74 percent. Mexico State, the federal entity with the highest share of the population, also registered the highest number of literate people with over 12 million.

The Basic, Middle and Special Needs Education Schools industry in Mexico includes establishments that are primarily dedicated to providing basic education, which includes primary schools, junior high schools and high schools, as well as establishments providing special needs education. This industry also includes indigenous technical preschools, primary and secondary education institutions, preschools, institutions that provide basic education for adults and distance education programs providing both basic and secondary educations. Furthermore, establishments that combine different levels of basic and secondary education with commercial, secretarial, computer, trade and executive technical training are included. Establishments that are dedicated to providing graduated education programs in engineering, accounting, business administration, law, education, medicine, agronomy, architecture, psychology and more are not included. Despite some favorable macroeconomic conditions, over the five years to 2019, industry revenue is anticipated to have declined at an annualized rate of 2.6% to MXN $69.7 billion, including a decrease of 0.1% in 2019.

Literacy: Literate: Mexico City data was reported at 7,408,113.000 Person in 2020. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,515,192.000 Person for 2010. Literacy: Literate: Mexico City data is updated yearly, averaging 5,986,646.000 Person from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2020, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,408,113.000 Person in 2020 and a record low of 5,230,018.000 Person in 1980. Literacy: Literate: Mexico City data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Geography. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.G017: Literacy: Age 15 and Above.

During a survey conducted among literate adults in urban Mexico in February 2024, approximately **** percent of respondents said they read books, magazines, newspapers, comics, web pages, forums, or blogs. In 2015, the share stood above ** percent. When it comes to reading preferences in Mexico in 2024, female readers consumed books the most, while male readers consumed websites the most.