Key Takeaways
- NAAL 1992: 21% below basic overall, rose to 14% by 2003 but ed gaps persist
- PIAAC shows U.S. literacy score stable at 270-272 from 2012-2017
- Low literacy adults decreased from 23% in 1992 to 19% in 2017 per adjusted data
- 16-24 year olds have 10% at or below Level 1 literacy in PIAAC US
- 25-34 age group: 14% low literacy (Level 1 or below)
- 35-44: 20% at low literacy levels
- Adults without high school diploma have 43% low literacy rate
- High school graduates 23% at Level 1/below literacy
- Some college/no degree: 15% low literacy
- Hispanic adults have 37% low literacy (Level 1/below) in PIAAC
- Black adults 26% at or below Level 1 literacy
- White non-Hispanic adults 9% low literacy per PIAAC 2017
- In 2023, 79% of U.S. adults aged 16-65 scored at literacy proficiency Level 2 or above according to PIAAC Cycle 2 results
- The 2017 PIAAC data shows 19% of U.S. adults at or below Level 1 in literacy, equating to about 43 million adults
- NAAL 2003 reported 14% of adults (roughly 30 million) at or below Basic prose literacy level
About 19 percent of US adults remain low literate, with persistent gaps despite recent stability.
Literacy Trends Over Time
Literacy Trends Over Time Interpretation
Literacy by Age and Gender
Literacy by Age and Gender Interpretation
Literacy by Educational Attainment
Literacy by Educational Attainment Interpretation
Literacy by Race and Ethnicity
Literacy by Race and Ethnicity Interpretation
Overall Literacy Rates
Overall Literacy Rates Interpretation
State-Level Literacy Rates
State-Level Literacy Rates Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). American Literacy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/american-literacy-statistics
Rachel Svensson. "American Literacy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/american-literacy-statistics.
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "American Literacy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/american-literacy-statistics.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NCESnces.ed.gov
nces.ed.gov
- Reference 2LITERACYPROJECTFOUNDATIONliteracyprojectfoundation.org
literacyprojectfoundation.org
- Reference 3NEWSnews.gallup.com
news.gallup.com
- Reference 4THENATIONALLITERACYINSTITUTEthenationalliteracyinstitute.com
thenationalliteracyinstitute.com
- Reference 5AMERICASLITERACYamericasliteracy.org
americasliteracy.org
- Reference 6PROLITERACYproliteracy.org
proliteracy.org
- Reference 7UISuis.unesco.org
uis.unesco.org
- Reference 8BARBARABUSHFOUNDATIONbarbarabushfoundation.org
barbarabushfoundation.org
- Reference 9ETSets.org
ets.org
- Reference 10PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.org
pewresearch.org
- Reference 11WORLDPOPULATIONREVIEWworldpopulationreview.com
worldpopulationreview.com
- Reference 12DOLdol.gov
dol.gov







