While the printed page may feel like a relic of the past, the raw numbers of America's newspaper circulation reveal a story of staggering transformation and resilience, where digital growth battles profound print decline.
Key Takeaways
- The New York Times average print weekday circulation was 318,000 copies in Q4 2022
- USA Today print circulation dropped to 1,078,000 daily in 2022 from 1,387,000 in 2021
- The Wall Street Journal average daily print circulation stood at 611,000 in 2023
- The Boston Herald print daily circulation was 45,000 in 2022
- Hartford Courant print weekday average 62,000 in Q1 2023
- Buffalo News print circulation dropped to 88,000 daily 2022
- The Times of London average daily print circulation was 295,322 in January 2023
- The Guardian print weekday circulation stood at 110,000 in Q4 2022
- Daily Mail UK print sales averaged 659,000 daily in 2023
- The New York Times digital-only subscriptions reached 9.13 million in Q4 2023
- Washington Post digital subscribers grew to 3 million in 2023
- The Wall Street Journal total digital subscribers hit 3.9 million by end of 2023
- US daily newspaper print circulation declined 7.9% in 2022 to 20.7 million
- Total US newspaper circulation (print+digital) was 48.7 million in 2005 peak
- New York Times print peak 1.8 million Sunday in 1990s, now 500,000 in 2020
Major US and UK newspaper print circulations have sharply fallen from their peak years, reflecting a broad decline.
Digital and Subscription Trends
- The New York Times digital-only subscriptions reached 9.13 million in Q4 2023
- Washington Post digital subscribers grew to 3 million in 2023
- The Wall Street Journal total digital subscribers hit 3.9 million by end of 2023
- USA Today digital circulation averaged 1.2 million daily in 2023
- Los Angeles Times digital subscribers surpassed 500,000 in 2023
- Chicago Tribune digital average daily unique visitors 15 million in Q2 2023
- Boston Globe digital subscriptions reached 300,000 in 2023
- San Francisco Chronicle digital-only subs grew 20% to 120,000 in 2022
- Star Tribune digital circulation hit 250,000 daily equivalents 2023
- Seattle Times digital subscribers over 150,000 in Q4 2023
- Miami Herald digital average 400,000 monthly subs 2022
- Denver Post digital circulation 180,000 daily 2023
- Orange County Register digital subs 90,000 in 2023
- Tampa Bay Times digital reached 200,000 subscribers 2022
- Arizona Republic digital circulation 300,000 daily avg 2023
- Indianapolis Star digital subs grew to 80,000 in Q3 2023
- Newsday digital subscribers 250,000 in 2023 Long Island
- Hartford Courant digital circulation 100,000 daily 2022
- Buffalo News digital subs 70,000 in 2023
- Rochester Democrat digital average 120,000 uniques daily 2023
- The Times (UK) digital subs 450,000 in 2023
- Guardian digital memberships 1.5 million global 2023
- Telegraph digital subscribers 1 million in Q4 2023
- Le Monde digital subs 800,000 in France 2023
- El País digital circulation 250,000 daily Spain 2022
- Sydney Morning Herald digital subs 300,000 Australia 2023
- Toronto Star digital 500,000 subscribers Canada 2023
Digital and Subscription Trends Interpretation
Amidst the digital deluge, legacy media outlets are valiantly trying to build a paywall ark big enough to float their newsrooms, but even The New York Times' towering nine million and The Guardian's global flock can't obscure the fact that for many papers, the waters are still perilously high.
Historical Circulation Data
- US daily newspaper print circulation declined 7.9% in 2022 to 20.7 million
- Total US newspaper circulation (print+digital) was 48.7 million in 2005 peak
- New York Times print peak 1.8 million Sunday in 1990s, now 500,000 in 2020
- USA Today launch circulation 1.3 million daily in 1982, peaked 2.6M 2000
- Wall Street Journal print averaged 2 million daily in 2000, 650k 2022
- LA Times print circulation 1 million daily 1990, 250k 2023
- Chicago Tribune peak Sunday 750,000 in 1980s, 150k 2022 print
- Boston Globe print 500,000 daily 1970s, declined to 70k 2023
- Washington Post peak 800,000 daily 2000, 200k print 2023
- San Francisco Chronicle 600,000 daily 1960s peak, 100k 2023
- Total UK national newspaper print sales 23 million daily 1990, 7M 2023
- The Sun UK peak 4.5 million daily 1990s, 1.2M 2023
- Daily Mail UK print 2.5M peak 2000, 659k 2023
- Times of London 450,000 daily 1980s, 295k 2023
- Le Monde France peak 500,000 print 1970s, 330k 2023
- Bild Germany 5M daily peak 1990s, 1.15M 2023
- Yomiuri Shimbun Japan stable 10M daily since 1980s, 6.8M 2023
- Sydney Morning Herald peak 300,000 print 1980s, 85k 2023
- Toronto Star Canada 600,000 daily 1980s, 260k 2023
- Global newspaper print circulation peaked at 500M daily 2000, declined 50% by 2022
- US print ad revenue $50B in 2000, $8B in 2022 correlating circulation drop
- Number of US daily newspapers 1,400 in 2020 from 1,700 in 2005
- Sunday US newspaper circulation peaked 62M in 1993, 20M 2022
- Average US daily print circ per newspaper 35k in 2022 vs 65k 2000
- The Guardian UK print sales 300k daily 2000, 110k 2023
- Daily Mirror UK peak 3M 1970s, 633k 2023
- El País Spain launch 400k 1976, 110k print 2023
- Frankfurter Allgemeine peak 400k 1980s, 240k 2023
- Corriere della Sera Italy 700k daily 1980s, 220k 2023
- Herald Sun Australia peak 550k 1990s, 280k 2023
Historical Circulation Data Interpretation
The digital age has turned the traditional newspaper's thunderous roar into a curated whisper, yet the demand for trusted stories remains, simply delivered on a screen instead of a doorstep.
International Newspapers
- The Times of London average daily print circulation was 295,322 in January 2023
- The Guardian print weekday circulation stood at 110,000 in Q4 2022
- Daily Mail UK print sales averaged 659,000 daily in 2023
- The Sun (UK) print circulation dropped to 1.18 million daily in 2022
- Daily Telegraph print average 289,000 weekdays 2023
- Daily Mirror print circulation 633,000 daily Q1 2023
- The Times (Scotland) print sales 112,000 daily 2022
- Daily Record (Scotland) print circulation 95,000 weekdays 2023
- Le Monde (France) print daily average 330,000 in 2022
- Le Figaro print circulation 325,000 daily 2023
- Bild (Germany) print sales 1.15 million daily Q4 2022
- Süddeutsche Zeitung print weekday 300,000 in 2023
- Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung print circulation 240,000 daily 2022
- Corriere della Sera (Italy) print average 220,000 weekdays 2023
- La Repubblica print sales 150,000 daily Q3 2022
- El País (Spain) print circulation 110,000 daily 2023
- El Mundo print weekday 80,000 in 2022
- ABC (Spain) print sales 100,000 daily 2023
- The Sydney Morning Herald print circulation 85,000 weekdays Q1 2023
- The Age (Melbourne) print daily 70,000 2022
- The Australian print sales 210,000 daily 2023
- The Courier-Mail (Brisbane) print circulation 110,000 weekdays 2022
- Herald Sun (Melbourne) print daily 280,000 Q2 2023
- The New Zealand Herald print sales 82,000 daily 2022
- Dominion Post (NZ) print weekday 25,000 2023
- Toronto Star print circulation 260,000 daily Q4 2022
- Globe and Mail print average 190,000 weekdays 2023
- National Post (Canada) print sales 120,000 daily 2022
- La Presse (Montreal) print circulation 140,000 Q1 2023
- The Japan Times print daily 20,000 in 2022 (English edition)
- Asahi Shimbun print circulation 6.2 million daily 2023
- Yomiuri Shimbun print sales 6.8 million weekdays Q3 2022
International Newspapers Interpretation
While The Sun and Mail still duke it out for the British masses, and even Germany's Bild holds a million-plus, the sobering global picture reveals a print landscape where even the mightiest broadsheets are now villages compared to the Asian metropolises of Asahi and Yomiuri.
US National Newspapers
- The New York Times average print weekday circulation was 318,000 copies in Q4 2022
- USA Today print circulation dropped to 1,078,000 daily in 2022 from 1,387,000 in 2021
- The Wall Street Journal average daily print circulation stood at 611,000 in 2023
- Los Angeles Times print weekday circulation was 239,000 in Q2 2023
- New York Post daily print circulation reached 158,000 in 2022
- Chicago Tribune print circulation averaged 105,000 daily in 2023
- Boston Globe print weekday circulation was 68,000 in Q4 2022
- Washington Post print circulation fell to 202,000 daily in 2022
- San Francisco Chronicle print daily circulation was 101,000 in 2023
- Dallas Morning News print circulation stood at 112,000 weekdays in 2022
- Philadelphia Inquirer print weekday circulation was 89,000 in Q3 2023
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution print daily average was 76,000 in 2022
- Houston Chronicle print circulation dropped to 154,000 daily in 2023
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis) print weekday circulation was 129,000 in 2022
- Denver Post print daily circulation averaged 102,000 in Q1 2023
- Seattle Times print circulation was 118,000 weekdays in 2022
- Orange County Register print daily average 92,000 in 2023
- Detroit Free Press print circulation fell to 58,000 daily in 2022
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch print weekday 71,000 in Q4 2022
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette print daily 78,000 in 2023
- Cleveland Plain Dealer print circulation 28,000 weekdays 2022
- Miami Herald print daily average 88,000 in 2023
- Sacramento Bee print circulation 72,000 daily 2022
- Portland Oregonian print weekday 64,000 in Q2 2023
- Tampa Bay Times print daily 180,000 in 2022
- Arizona Republic print circulation 99,000 weekdays 2023
- Indianapolis Star print daily 61,000 in 2022
- Kansas City Star print weekday 52,000 Q3 2023
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel print 78,000 daily 2022
- Cincinnati Enquirer print circulation 51,000 weekdays 2023
US National Newspapers Interpretation
The print newspaper is staging a surprisingly stubborn, if regionally varied, retreat from American doorsteps, proving that while the digital age reigns supreme, a tangible chronicle of yesterday’s news still holds a certain, albeit shrinking, gravity.
US Regional Newspapers
- The Boston Herald print daily circulation was 45,000 in 2022
- Hartford Courant print weekday average 62,000 in Q1 2023
- Buffalo News print circulation dropped to 88,000 daily 2022
- Rochester Democrat and Chronicle print 48,000 weekdays 2023
- Providence Journal print daily 34,000 in 2022
- Albany Times Union print circulation 39,000 weekdays Q4 2022
- Newsday (Long Island) print daily 237,000 in 2023
- Asbury Park Press print weekday 52,000 in 2022
- Courier-Post (Camden NJ) print daily 28,000 2023
- Trentonian print circulation 12,000 weekdays 2022
- Baltimore Sun print daily 110,000 in Q2 2023
- Richmond Times-Dispatch print weekday 57,000 2022
- Daily Press (Newport News) print 42,000 daily 2023
- Charleston Post and Courier print circulation 82,000 weekdays 2022
- Greenville News print daily 49,000 in Q3 2023
- Knoxville News Sentinel print weekday 58,000 2022
- Lexington Herald-Leader print 32,000 daily 2023
- Courier-Journal (Louisville) print circulation 94,000 weekdays 2022
- Memphis Commercial Appeal print daily 71,000 Q1 2023
- Arkansas Democrat-Gazette print weekday 98,000 in 2022
- Oklahoma City Oklahoman print 72,000 daily 2023
- Tulsa World print circulation 64,000 weekdays 2022
- Shreveport Times print daily 22,000 Q4 2022
- Birmingham News print weekday 44,000 2023
- Mobile Register print circulation 28,000 daily 2022
- Jackson Clarion-Ledger print 34,000 weekdays 2023
- Omaha World-Herald print daily 78,000 in 2022
- Lincoln Journal Star print weekday 42,000 Q2 2023
- Des Moines Register print circulation 89,000 daily 2022
- Sioux City Journal print 28,000 weekdays 2023
- Topeka Capital-Journal print daily 25,000 2022
- Wichita Eagle print weekday 51,000 Q3 2023
- Las Vegas Review-Journal print circulation 98,000 daily 2022
- Salt Lake Tribune print weekday 42,000 2023
- Idaho Statesman print daily 29,000 Q1 2023
- Billings Gazette print circulation 21,000 weekdays 2022
- Times-News (Burlington NC) print daily 18,000 2023
US Regional Newspapers Interpretation
While the Northeast's newsprint heart still beats, it's a faint and uneven rhythm, fading fastest where you'd least expect a pulse.
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