3 in 5 actually seems pretty high, in particular if they really did read a complete book. I tend to only start and never finish them.
2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
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Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#12> 8 Books - Average number of books Americans read in 2025. However, the median American only read 2 books, showing that heavy readers significantly increase the overall average.
I don't know, my reaction is "wow, Americans truly love reading," or alternatively, "they really like to boast their numbers even in anonymous surveys."
Even if you only read fiction, 8 books are like 500k to 100k words. That's a lot of words!
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#13What about audio books, magazines, news, websites, studies? Reading is so much more than curated dead trees.
Whether you read on a paper book or on an e-reader, a full book is much deeper than just a magazine or news article.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#14I don't buy that anywhere near that many people read a book in 2025. People lie and say they read because they want to sound smarter and more cultured.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#15What fraction of Americans are capable of reading a book (i.e. not functionally illiterate)?
4 in 5: https://www.nu.edu/blog/49-adult-literacy-statistics-and-fac...
> 21% of U.S. adults are classified as functionally illiterate, unable to complete basic reading tasks.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#16Somehow I thought it would have been lesss...
I am also surprised it's so low (the number who haven't read). I would have expected 3 in 5 or even 4 in 5 americans to have not read a single book in 2025. I wonder if these stats include "tried to finish a book (and failed)" rather than actual completion stats.
Maybe it's 1 readers, 2 honest people, and 2 people who preferred to lie than confess they didn't read a single book.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#17I don't buy that anywhere near that many people read a book in 2025. People lie and say they read because they want to sound smarter and more cultured.
I read one book in 2025. Of course I read every day: news, documentation, emails and other messages, etc. It's probably the activity I spend more time doing than anything else.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#18What’s the title for? Is it about “reading” or is it about “books” ?
A lot of people who say they “read books” really mean they bought one or checked it out from the library, then only dipped into it here and there, maybe a few paragraphs at a time.
I haven’t read a proper book cover to cover in years, probably not since high school. But I do read a lot every single day, either for my job or because I genuinely want to grow professionally. I’ll also read a few chapters from books friends or coworkers recommend, especially the parts that seem most relevant. I just don’t really see why I need to finish the whole thing if I’m already getting what I came for.
My parents, meanwhile, will read the same books over and over again, cover to cover, every year.
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#19I don't buy that anywhere near that many people read a book in 2025. People lie and say they read because they want to sound smarter and more cultured.
> don't buy that anywhere near that many people read a book in 2025
EDIT: Nvm
Re: 2 in 5 Americans did not read a single book in 2025
#20> 8 Books - Average number of books Americans read in 2025. However, the median American only read 2 books, showing that heavy readers significantly increase the overall average. I don't know, my reaction is "wow, Americans truly love reading," or alternatively, "they really like to boast their numbers even in anonymous surveys." Even if you only read fiction, 8 books are like 500k to 100k words. That's a lot of word…
Well, some of the words are duplicates.