Magazine circulation is still moving fast, and 2023 totals show just how uneven the shift can be. While AARP Bulletin reached 21.5 million print copies in Q1 2023, the overall US paid market sits at 145.5 million in 2022 and the industry’s story is no longer just about paper. As digital replicas, paid subscriptions, and app-based editions rework the totals, some titles have gained reach while others have seen steep declines, which is exactly the contrast this dataset makes easy to track.
Key Takeaways
- In Q1 2023, AARP Bulletin print circulation reached 21.5 million copies
- Time magazine digital replicas averaged 1,800,000 in 2022
- People digital edition circulation 2,500,000 avg in 2023
- US magazine print circulation declined 8% from 2019 to 2022
- Total paid magazine circulation dropped 12% between 2015 and 2020
- Print ad pages in magazines fell 20% from 2019 to 2023
- In 2022, AARP The Magazine had an average total paid circulation of 3,567,000 copies per issue
- Time magazine's average print circulation in 2021 was 1,240,000 copies
- People magazine reported 3,100,000 average print circulation in 2022
- UK's Total magazine circulation fell 15% 2018-2022
- Japan magazine market circulation 500 million copies annually in 2022
- India magazine circulation grew 10% YoY to 100 million in 2023
- Total US magazine paid circulation (print + digital) was 145.5 million in 2022
- Global magazine circulation totaled 7.2 billion copies in 2021
- AARP The Magazine total avg circulation 22 million in 2023
Magazine paid circulation remains resilient as digital growth offsets steep print declines across major titles.
Related reading
01 · Category
Digital Circulation29 stats
01
In Q1 2023, AARP Bulletin print circulation reached 21.5 million copies
02
Time magazine digital replicas averaged 1,800,000 in 2022
03
People digital edition circulation 2,500,000 avg in 2023
04
The New Yorker app and digital subs contributed 1,200,000 to circulation in 2022
05
Better Homes & Gardens digital circulation 1,000,000 in 2023
06
National Geographic digital paid circulation exceeded 2.5 million in 2022
07
Sports Illustrated digital circulation 1,100,000 post-2020
08
Cosmopolitan digital replicas 800,000 avg in 2022
09
Reader's Digest digital circulation 1,500,000 globally in 2023
10
Good Housekeeping digital edition 1,200,000 in 2022
11
Vogue digital circulation US 900,000 in 2023
12
Wired digital paid circulation 500,000 in 2022
13
Forbes digital magazine circulation 1,000,000 avg monthly in 2023
14
The Economist digital subs 1.7 million total in 2022
15
Martha Stewart Living digital 1,000,000 in 2021
16
Southern Living digital circulation 800,000 in 2023
17
Prevention digital edition 1,500,000 avg in 2022
18
Woman's Day digital circulation 1,200,000 in 2023
19
GQ digital replicas 600,000 in 2022
20
Esquire digital circulation 400,000 avg in 2023
21
Bon Appétit digital 700,000 in 2022
22
Travel + Leisure digital 600,000 in 2023
23
Vanity Fair digital circulation 800,000 in 2022
24
New York Magazine digital avg 300,000 in 2023
25
The Atlantic digital subs over 1 million in 2023
26
Harper's digital circulation 150,000 in 2022
27
Discover digital edition 600,000 avg in 2023
28
Popular Science digital-only reach 800,000 post-print in 2021
29
US Weekly digital circulation 1,000,000 in 2022
Interpretation
Digital Circulation Interpretation
The data reveals a stubbornly geriatric media landscape where AARP's print mammoth dwarfs the digital herds, though the younger, trendier publications are clearly breeding faster online.
02 · Category
Historical Trends20 stats
01
US magazine print circulation declined 8% from 2019 to 2022
02
Total paid magazine circulation dropped 12% between 2015 and 2020
03
Print ad pages in magazines fell 20% from 2019 to 2023
04
Digital magazine circulation grew 15% YoY from 2020-2022
05
US consumer magazine circulation halved since 2000 peak of 300 million
06
Time magazine circulation down 50% since 2008 peak
07
People print circulation decreased 10% from 2018-2022
08
Newsweek print circulation plummeted 95% since 2007
09
National Geographic print down 30% from 2010-2020
10
Sports Illustrated print fell 40% 2015-2020
11
Cosmopolitan print circulation declined 25% decade to 2022
12
Reader's Digest US print down 70% since 1990s
13
Vogue print circulation stable but down 15% from 2015
14
Wired print dropped 60% from 2008 peak
15
Forbes print circulation halved since 2010
16
The Economist print US up 5% but digital surged 50% 2018-2023
17
Magazine industry revenue from circ up 5% due to digital 2020-2023
18
Print single-copy sales down 80% since 1990
19
Subscription circulation rose 20% for top mags 2019-2023
20
Overall US mag circ from 350M in 2007 to 150M in 2022
Interpretation
Historical Trends Interpretation
The magazine industry's obituary is currently being written in digital ink, as print's precipitous decline is only partially offset by a subscription-driven, last-minute rewrite for a few surviving titles.
03 · Category
Print Circulation30 stats
01
In 2022, AARP The Magazine had an average total paid circulation of 3,567,000 copies per issue
02
Time magazine's average print circulation in 2021 was 1,240,000 copies
03
People magazine reported 3,100,000 average print circulation in 2022
04
In Q4 2023, The New Yorker had 1,050,000 print copies circulated on average
05
Better Homes & Gardens averaged 3,500,000 print copies in 2022
06
National Geographic print circulation stood at 2,100,000 in 2021
07
Sports Illustrated print avg circulation 1,800,000 in 2020
08
Cosmopolitan print circulation averaged 1,500,000 in 2022
09
Reader's Digest print copies averaged 2,900,000 globally in 2021
10
Good Housekeeping had 2,400,000 average print circulation in 2023
11
Vogue US print circulation 1,200,000 in 2022
12
Wired magazine print avg 700,000 copies in 2021
13
Forbes print circulation 800,000 in 2022
14
The Economist print US circulation 200,000 in 2023
15
Martha Stewart Living print avg 1,900,000 in 2020
16
Southern Living magazine print circulation 2,600,000 in 2022
17
Family Circle print copies 4,000,000 avg before closure in 2019
18
O, The Oprah Magazine print 2,300,000 in 2020 final year
19
Prevention magazine print circulation 3,100,000 in 2021
20
Woman's Day print avg 2,700,000 in 2022
21
GQ magazine print circulation 900,000 in 2021
22
Esquire print avg 600,000 copies in 2022
23
Bon Appétit print circulation 1,100,000 in 2020
24
Travel + Leisure print 900,000 avg in 2022
25
Vanity Fair print circulation 1,000,000 in 2021
26
New York Magazine print avg 400,000 in 2023
27
Atlantic Monthly print 450,000 in 2022
28
Harper's Magazine print circulation 200,000 avg in 2021
29
Discover magazine print 1,000,000 in 2020
30
Popular Science print avg 1,200,000 before digital shift in 2020
Interpretation
Print Circulation Interpretation
While one might expect the nation's cultural pulse to be taken by its elite literary journals, the cold, hard truth is that America, in print, is far more preoccupied with home improvements, celebrity gossip, and especially, the concerns of its powerful, coupon-clipping retirees than with the lofty analyses of pundits and critics.
More related reading
04 · Category
Regional Circulation10 stats
01
UK's Total magazine circulation fell 15% 2018-2022
02
Japan magazine market circulation 500 million copies annually in 2022
03
India magazine circulation grew 10% YoY to 100 million in 2023
04
China's magazine circulation over 2 billion copies yearly 2021
05
France top magazine circulation TV Magazine 2.5M weekly 2022
06
Germany Bild der Frau circulation 1.8M in 2023
07
Australia Woman's Day circulation 300,000 weekly 2022
08
Brazil Veja magazine 1.2M circulation in 2023
09
Canada Chatelaine magazine 250,000 total circ 2022
10
Mexico TVNotas circulation 1.5M biweekly 2023
Interpretation
Regional Circulation Interpretation
In a stunning reversal of media fortunes, while the UK’s magazine market is drying up, China’s remains a continent-sized titan, and France’s beloved TV guides soldier on with a Gallic shrug, proving that glossy paper can still compete with glowing screens where the content is either culturally essential or deliciously trivial.
05 · Category
Total Circulation25 stats
01
Total US magazine paid circulation (print + digital) was 145.5 million in 2022
02
Global magazine circulation totaled 7.2 billion copies in 2021
03
AARP The Magazine total avg circulation 22 million in 2023
04
Time total circulation 2.5 million in 2022
05
People total paid circulation 3.6 million in 2023
06
The New Yorker total circulation 1.3 million in 2022
07
Better Homes & Gardens total 4.5 million avg in 2022
08
National Geographic total paid 4.6 million in 2023
09
Sports Illustrated total circulation 2.9 million in 2021
10
Cosmopolitan total US circulation 2.3 million in 2022
11
Reader's Digest total global 10 million in 2022
12
Good Housekeeping total 3.6 million in 2023
13
Vogue total circulation 1.2 million US in 2022
14
Wired total paid 850,000 in 2023
15
Forbes total magazine circulation 1.8 million in 2022
16
The Economist total circulation 2 million weekly in 2023
17
Southern Living total 3.4 million in 2022
18
Prevention total circulation 4.6 million in 2023
19
Woman's Day total 3.9 million avg in 2022
20
GQ total US circulation 1.5 million in 2023
21
Travel + Leisure total 5 million in 2022
22
Vanity Fair total 1.1 million in 2023
23
The Atlantic total circulation 1.4 million in 2022
24
US Weekly total 2.5 million in 2023
25
Discover total paid 1.6 million in 2022
Interpretation
Total Circulation Interpretation
AARP’s senior readership is so commanding that if it were a country’s army, nearly every other magazine combined would still be a platoon trying to keep up with its numbers.
Reference
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.
APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Magazine Circulation Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/magazine-circulation-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Magazine Circulation Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/magazine-circulation-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Magazine Circulation Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/magazine-circulation-statistics.
Sources & references
50 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level