GITNUXREPORT 2025

Book Sales Statistics

Global book market valued at $122 billion in 2021.

Jannik Lindner

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking • Reputable sources • Regular updatesLearn more

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

The average age of best-selling authors is 47 years old

Statistic 2

The average number of books read annually per person in the US is 12

Statistic 3

The global literacy rate reached 87% in 2020, correlating with increased book consumption worldwide

Statistic 4

The average length of a best-selling novel is around 80,000 to 100,000 words

Statistic 5

The majority of printed books sold in the US are purchased by women, accounting for approximately 62% of total sales

Statistic 6

The average age of avid readers in the US is 43 years old, with a slight increase in older demographics

Statistic 7

The average number of books read to children before age five is 8, which correlates with higher literacy skills later

Statistic 8

The percentage of book sales that occur during the holiday season (November-December) is approximately 30%, indicating seasonal buying patterns

Statistic 9

Audiobook sales are most popular among commuters, with 55% of audiobook buyers listening during travel

Statistic 10

The rise of climate-focused books increased sales by 8% in 2022, reflecting heightened environmental awareness

Statistic 11

The top-selling book of 2022 was “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover, with over 2 million copies sold in the US

Statistic 12

The most popular genres sold worldwide are fiction, mystery, and romance, collectively accounting for over 50% of sales

Statistic 13

The top five best-selling books of all time have sold over 460 million copies combined

Statistic 14

35% of published books are fiction, with the rest being non-fiction, according to industry reports

Statistic 15

Sales of religious and spiritual books constitute about 15% of total book sales annually

Statistic 16

In 2022, young adult novels represented about 10% of all book sales, with a growing popularity among adult readers as well

Statistic 17

The global book publishing market was valued at approximately $122 billion in 2021

Statistic 18

In 2020, children’s books made up approximately 25% of the US book market by sales volume

Statistic 19

The audiobook market grew by 24% in 2022, reaching sales of over $2.5 billion in the US alone

Statistic 20

In 2021, Amazon accounted for roughly 70% of online book sales in the US

Statistic 21

The total number of print books sold in the US in 2022 was about 675 million units

Statistic 22

Sales of graphic novels increased by 13% in 2022, making it one of the fastest-growing segments in book publishing

Statistic 23

In the UK, over 60 million books are purchased annually, with an estimated retail value of £1.8 billion

Statistic 24

The rise of subscription-based reading services increased global e-book subscription revenue by 15% in 2022, reaching $700 million

Statistic 25

The number of self-published books on Amazon alone exceeded 3 million titles in 2021

Statistic 26

The majority of professional writers (about 65%) earn less than $10,000 annually from their writing, highlighting the challenges of a career in writing

Statistic 27

The average price of a hardcover book in 2023 was around $27

Statistic 28

The average return rate for bookstore book orders is about 20%, impacting publishers' revenue

Statistic 29

The most expensive book ever sold was a copy of the Bay Psalm Book from 1640, which sold for $14.2 million in 2013

Statistic 30

The average cost for self-publishing a book in 2023 ranges from $2000 to $5000, depending on length and quality

Statistic 31

In the United States, about 660,000 new titles were published in 2020

Statistic 32

E-book sales accounted for 20% of all book sales in the US in 2022

Statistic 33

Fiction titles account for approximately 70% of e-book sales in the US

Statistic 34

Self-published books comprise approximately 30% of the total ebook and print book sales

Statistic 35

The average royalty rate for traditionally published authors is around 10-15%

Statistic 36

Hardcover books represent approximately 40% of total book sales by revenue in the US

Statistic 37

Poetry books account for less than 1% of total book sales by volume in the US

Statistic 38

International sales account for approximately 30% of total book sales, with the largest markets being the US, China, and the UK

Statistic 39

The average ROI for book publishers is estimated at around 300%, with some genres like romance seeing even higher returns

Statistic 40

The top five best-selling books in 2023 accounted for nearly 15% of total annual sales, indicating significant market concentration

Statistic 41

The e-book segment's market share is expected to decline slightly in 2024 as print and audiobooks grow, with projections around 18% of total sales

Statistic 42

Book piracy affects approximately 5-7% of total global book sales, resulting in billions of dollars in lost revenue annually

Statistic 43

Historically, best-selling books retain approximately 75% of their initial sales for the first five years after publication, ensuring long-term revenue

Slide 1 of 43
Share:FacebookLinkedIn
Sources

Our Reports have been cited by:

Trust Badges - Publications that have cited our reports

Key Highlights

  • The global book publishing market was valued at approximately $122 billion in 2021
  • In the United States, about 660,000 new titles were published in 2020
  • E-book sales accounted for 20% of all book sales in the US in 2022
  • In 2020, children’s books made up approximately 25% of the US book market by sales volume
  • The average price of a hardcover book in 2023 was around $27
  • The average age of best-selling authors is 47 years old
  • The audiobook market grew by 24% in 2022, reaching sales of over $2.5 billion in the US alone
  • Fiction titles account for approximately 70% of e-book sales in the US
  • The top-selling book of 2022 was “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover, with over 2 million copies sold in the US
  • In 2021, Amazon accounted for roughly 70% of online book sales in the US
  • The average number of books read annually per person in the US is 12
  • Self-published books comprise approximately 30% of the total ebook and print book sales
  • The total number of print books sold in the US in 2022 was about 675 million units

Did you know that the global book market soared to over $122 billion in 2021, with digital, children’s, and self-published titles revolutionizing the way we read in ways that would have been unimaginable just a decade ago?

Consumer Behavior and Reading Habits

  • The average age of best-selling authors is 47 years old
  • The average number of books read annually per person in the US is 12
  • The global literacy rate reached 87% in 2020, correlating with increased book consumption worldwide
  • The average length of a best-selling novel is around 80,000 to 100,000 words
  • The majority of printed books sold in the US are purchased by women, accounting for approximately 62% of total sales
  • The average age of avid readers in the US is 43 years old, with a slight increase in older demographics
  • The average number of books read to children before age five is 8, which correlates with higher literacy skills later
  • The percentage of book sales that occur during the holiday season (November-December) is approximately 30%, indicating seasonal buying patterns
  • Audiobook sales are most popular among commuters, with 55% of audiobook buyers listening during travel
  • The rise of climate-focused books increased sales by 8% in 2022, reflecting heightened environmental awareness

Consumer Behavior and Reading Habits Interpretation

These statistics reveal a literary landscape where mid-career authors and lifelong readers—predominantly women and aging slightly—drive steady book consumption, amplified seasonally and integrated into daily routines like commutes, with rising environmental themes echoing a global shift toward greater literacy and awareness.

Genres, Popular Titles, and Literary Trends

  • The top-selling book of 2022 was “It Ends with Us” by Colleen Hoover, with over 2 million copies sold in the US
  • The most popular genres sold worldwide are fiction, mystery, and romance, collectively accounting for over 50% of sales
  • The top five best-selling books of all time have sold over 460 million copies combined
  • 35% of published books are fiction, with the rest being non-fiction, according to industry reports
  • Sales of religious and spiritual books constitute about 15% of total book sales annually
  • In 2022, young adult novels represented about 10% of all book sales, with a growing popularity among adult readers as well

Genres, Popular Titles, and Literary Trends Interpretation

While romance, mystery, and fiction continue to dominate the literary landscape, with 'It Ends with Us' leading the charge in 2022, the industry's diverse bestseller tally and shifting readership—from fantasy-loving teens to spiritual seekers—reveal a book market as layered and unpredictable as the stories within.

Market Size and Sales Trends

  • The global book publishing market was valued at approximately $122 billion in 2021
  • In 2020, children’s books made up approximately 25% of the US book market by sales volume
  • The audiobook market grew by 24% in 2022, reaching sales of over $2.5 billion in the US alone
  • In 2021, Amazon accounted for roughly 70% of online book sales in the US
  • The total number of print books sold in the US in 2022 was about 675 million units
  • Sales of graphic novels increased by 13% in 2022, making it one of the fastest-growing segments in book publishing
  • In the UK, over 60 million books are purchased annually, with an estimated retail value of £1.8 billion
  • The rise of subscription-based reading services increased global e-book subscription revenue by 15% in 2022, reaching $700 million
  • The number of self-published books on Amazon alone exceeded 3 million titles in 2021
  • The majority of professional writers (about 65%) earn less than $10,000 annually from their writing, highlighting the challenges of a career in writing

Market Size and Sales Trends Interpretation

While the global book market hits a hefty $122 billion and children’s stories enchant a quarter of US readers, the rise of audiobooks, graphic novels, and subscription services demonstrates that in the literary world, innovation is booming even as most writers struggle to make a living—proving that in publishing, as in storytelling, the plot thickens.

Pricing, Costs, and Economic Factors

  • The average price of a hardcover book in 2023 was around $27
  • The average return rate for bookstore book orders is about 20%, impacting publishers' revenue
  • The most expensive book ever sold was a copy of the Bay Psalm Book from 1640, which sold for $14.2 million in 2013
  • The average cost for self-publishing a book in 2023 ranges from $2000 to $5000, depending on length and quality

Pricing, Costs, and Economic Factors Interpretation

While hardcover books average $27 and self-publishing costs hover around $2,500, the astronomical $14.2 million sale of the 1640 Bay Psalm Book reminds us that in the literary world, sometimes the most valuable stories are the oldest—provided they can survive a 20% return rate hurting publishers' bottom lines.

Publishing Industry Data and Market Share

  • In the United States, about 660,000 new titles were published in 2020
  • E-book sales accounted for 20% of all book sales in the US in 2022
  • Fiction titles account for approximately 70% of e-book sales in the US
  • Self-published books comprise approximately 30% of the total ebook and print book sales
  • The average royalty rate for traditionally published authors is around 10-15%
  • Hardcover books represent approximately 40% of total book sales by revenue in the US
  • Poetry books account for less than 1% of total book sales by volume in the US
  • International sales account for approximately 30% of total book sales, with the largest markets being the US, China, and the UK
  • The average ROI for book publishers is estimated at around 300%, with some genres like romance seeing even higher returns
  • The top five best-selling books in 2023 accounted for nearly 15% of total annual sales, indicating significant market concentration
  • The e-book segment's market share is expected to decline slightly in 2024 as print and audiobooks grow, with projections around 18% of total sales
  • Book piracy affects approximately 5-7% of total global book sales, resulting in billions of dollars in lost revenue annually
  • Historically, best-selling books retain approximately 75% of their initial sales for the first five years after publication, ensuring long-term revenue

Publishing Industry Data and Market Share Interpretation

In the US, the literary market is a bustling clash of tradition and innovation—with 660,000 titles published annually, fiction dominating e-books where self-publishing accounts for nearly a third, yet hardcover still reigns in revenue; while royalties remain modest, international sales and genre-specific ROI keep publishers buoyant, as the landscape gradually shifts from e-book declines to audiobook growth—and amidst piracy and market concentration, enduring bestsellers prove that a good book can still hold its long-term sway.