48+ US Literacy Statistics 2026 - Percentage by State

Report Highlights

On average, 79% of U.S. adults nationwide are literate in 2024.
21% of adults in the US are illiterate in 2024.
54% of adults have literacy below a 6th-grade level (20% are below a 5th-grade level).
Low levels of literacy costs the US up to 2.2 trillion per year.
34% of adults lacking literacy proficiency were born outside the US.
In 2023, 46% of U.S. adults scored at or above Level 3 literacy proficiency, while 28% scored at or below Level 1.
U.S. adults’ average literacy scores declined by 12 points from 2017 to 2023 according to PIAAC data.
Massachusetts was the state with the highest rate of child literacy in 2024.
New Mexico was the state with the lowest child literacy rate in 2024.
New Hampshire was the state with the highest percentage of adults considered literate.
The state with the lowest adult literacy rate was California.
In 2024, 69% of 4th-grade children in the U.S. could not read proficiently (down from 66% in 2013).

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Adult Literacy Statistics

us map — US Literacy Rates (data from nces.ed.gov) Light Blue = below average / Dark Blue = above average

The literacy rate for adults across the U.S. averages 79% as of 2024.
20% of adults read below a 5th-grade level.
54% of adults read below a 6th-grade level.
Between 2012 and 2017, the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) surveyed the abilities of 12,330 adults between 16 – 74 years of age, with representatives from every U.S. county and state as well as the District of Columbia.
Based on the PIAAC survey for the years 2012, 2014, and 2017, the average score nationwide in the U.S. was 264 out of 500 points.
In the 2023 PIAAC round, U.S. adults’ average literacy score declined by 12 points compared to 2017.
In 2023, 28% of U.S. adults scored at or below Level 1 literacy, while 46% scored at Level 3 or above.
New Hampshire, Minnesota, and North Dakota had the highest rates of literacy, in descending order.
Florida, New York, and California had the lowest rates of literacy, also in descending order.

Also, check out this page on US reading statistics.

Adult Literacy Rate and PIAAC Score Estimate by State

by state literacy — US Literacy Rates (data from nces.ed.gov) Light Blue = below average / Dark Blue = above average

State	Literacy Rate (%)	Literacy Rank	PIAAC Estimate	PIAAC Rank
Alabama	85.2	39	259	44
Alaska	90.8	19	277	5
Arizona	86.9	33	262	37
Arkansas	86.3	37	259	45
California	76.9	50	257	46
Colorado	90.1	22	272	16
Connecticut	91.4	15	271	18
Delaware	89.3	26	264	34
District of Columbia	n/a	n/a	277	4
Florida	80.3	48	259	43
Georgia	83.3	45	260	39
Hawaii	84.1	40	270	22
Idaho	89.5	25	270	24
Illinois	87.1	32	266	31
Indiana	92.0	12	266	27
Iowa	92.5	9	273	9
Kansas	92.2	11	271	19
Kentucky	87.8	29	261	38
Louisiana	84.0	41	252	51
Maine	92.6	8	273	11
Maryland	88.8	27	268	26
Massachusetts	90.1	23	273	13
Michigan	91.7	13	271	21
Minnesota	94.0	2	279	2
Mississippi	84.0	42	252	49
Missouri	92.5	10	266	30
Montana	91.2	16	273	14
Nebraska	92.7	6	271	17
Nevada	83.9	43	255	47
New Hampshire	94.2	1	279	1
New Jersey	83.1	46	264	33
New Mexico	83.5	44	252	50
New York	77.9	49	260	42
North Carolina	86.4	36	265	32
North Dakota	93.7	3	276	6
Ohio	90.9	18	268	25
Oklahoma	87.7	30	263	35
Oregon	89.8	24	273	10
Pennsylvania	87.4	31	266	28
Rhode Island	91.5	14	266	29
South Carolina	85.3	38	263	36
South Dakota	93.0	5	271	20
Tennessee	86.8	34	260	40
Texas	81.0	47	254	48
Utah	90.6	20	274	8
Vermont	93.4	4	277	3
Virginia	88.0	28	270	23
Washington	90.2	21	275	7
West Virginia	86.6	35	260	41
Wisconsin	92.7	7	273	12
Wyoming	91.1	17	272	15
Average	88	25.5	264	26

Child Literacy Statistics

According to the 2018 Digest of Education Statistics, reading scores for most children in 4th and 8th grade were measurably higher in 2017 than they were in 1992, though not measurably higher than they were in 2015.

Additionally, the performance gap between certain ethnic groups, such as between White and Black students and between White and Hispanic groups, decreased significantly between 1992 and 2017, though not very much between 2015 and 2017.

On average, in 2017, female 8th graders scored 10 points higher than male 8th graders on the reading portion of the Average National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Fourth-grade students, overall, improved 5 points between 1992 and 2017, while 8th-grade students, overall, improved 7 points between 1992 and 2017.
In 2024 NAEP results, only 31% of 4th graders scored at or above NAEP Proficient, meaning 69% were reading below proficiency levels.
In 2024, 40% of 4th graders scored below Basic proficiency.
The Top 3 states for the highest child literacy rates in 2024 were Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Hampshire, in that order (highest to lowest).
The Bottom 3 states for child literacy rates in 2024 were Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Mexico (highest to lowest).
Across the U.S., 66% of all 4th graders in 2013 were reading below proficiency levels, which was a 6% improvement from 2003.

Child Literacy Statistics by State (4th Grade)

State	Rank (lower is better)	*Students Not* Reading Proficiently (%)**	*Lower Income Students Not* Reading Proficiently (%)**	*Higher Income Students Not* Reading Proficiently (%)**	Improvement since 2003 (%)
Alabama	35	69	82	51	12
Alaska	44	73	85	60	-1
Arizona	40	72	85	57	6
Arkansas	32	68	78	54	6
California	43	73	85	54	8
Colorado	8	59	79	54	6
Connecticut	5	57	81	43	0
Delaware	13	62	75	48	7
District of Columbia	45	77	87	39	14
Florida	12	61	73	42	10
Georgia	26	66	79	47	10
Hawaii	37	70	83	57	11
Idaho	31	67	78	56	4
Illinois	28	66	84	48	4
Indiana	14 (tied)	62	75	49	7
Iowa	16	62	77	52	5
Kansas	14 (tied)	62	78	46	7
Kentucky	21	64	77	49	7
Louisiana	46	77	85	58	4
Maine	19 (tied)	63	76	52	2
Maryland	2	55	76	42	19
Massachusetts	1	53	75	38	12
Michigan	34	69	81	58	-1
Minnesota	9	59	77	48	6
Mississippi	47	79	85	58	4
Missouri	23	65	77	51	2
Montana	24	65	78	54	0
Nebraska	19 (tied)	63	77	51	7
Nevada	42	73	83	56	9
New Hampshire	3	55	76	47	8
New Jersey	7	58	78	44	5
New Mexico	48	79	85	61	2
New York	18	63	77	47	5
North Carolina	22	65	78	47	3
North Dakota	29	66	78	60	3
Ohio	17	63	80	48	5
Oklahoma	36	70	79	57	5
Oregon	30	67	79	50	3
Pennsylvania	10	60	77	45	10
Rhode Island	15	62	81	45	13
South Carolina	39	72	83	54	3
South Dakota	33	68	82	58	-1
Tennessee	27	66	82	48	11
Texas	38	72	83	53	-1
Utah	20 (tied)	63	76	54	7
Vermont	6	58	74	46	8
Virginia	4	57	79	44	12
Washington	11	60	77	47	10
West Virginia	41	73	76	63	-3
Wisconsin	25	65	80	53	3
Wyoming	20 (tied)	63	76	54	5
Average	24	66	80	49	6

Literacy Rate By Country 2025

The following table provides an overview of the literacy rates for 20 diverse countries around the world, reflecting data available as of 2025.

The 79% figure (U.S. adults) comes from PIAAC (Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies) and measures functional literacy – the ability to read and comprehend texts at a practical, everyday level (like understanding job applications, medical forms, news articles, etc.).

The 99% figure (country comparison) represents basic literacy – simply the ability to read and write at a minimal level (usually defined as being able to read and write a simple sentence about one’s daily life). This is the UNESCO standard used for international comparisons.

These figures represent the percentage of the population aged 15 and over who can read and write, though definitions and methodologies may vary by country.

Country	Literacy Rate (%)
Australia	99
Brazil	93
Canada	99
China	96.4
Egypt	75.6
France	99
Germany	99
India	74.4
Indonesia	95.4
Italy	99
Japan	99
Kenya	81.5
Mexico	94.5
Nigeria	62
Pakistan	59.1
Russia	99.7
South Africa	94.4
Turkey	96.2
United Kingdom	99
United States	99

Workplace and Economic Impact of Literacy

In 2024, 88% of companies reported being affected by low levels of literacy and numeracy to a high, moderate, or slight degree.
More than half of American adults (57%) read at Level 2 or below, making it difficult to obtain, maintain, or advance in employment.
Approximately 28% of adults (about 58.9 million people) read at the lowest literacy levels, limiting their reading comprehension to simple, short sentences.
The average annual income for adults reading at a 6th-grade level is $63,000, compared to $48,000 for those reading at a 3rd- to 5th-grade level, and just $34,000 for those reading below a 3rd-grade level.
Low literacy significantly reduces the likelihood of career advancement and increased pay for employed adults.
Adults with low literacy levels are more likely to experience unemployment and job instability compared to their more literate peers.
The $2.2 trillion annual economic cost of low literacy includes lost productivity, reduced tax revenue, and increased spending on social services and healthcare.
Workers with higher literacy levels contribute more effectively to workplace productivity and are better equipped to adapt to changing job requirements.
Low literacy creates barriers to understanding workplace safety instructions, employee handbooks, and training materials, increasing workplace accidents and errors.

Health and Financial Literacy Statistics

Nearly 90% of Americans struggle to understand basic healthcare information, creating a hidden crisis in the healthcare system.
Limited health literacy costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $236 billion annually through poor health outcomes, medication errors, and increased hospitalizations.
Health literacy challenges disproportionately affect marginalized populations, particularly impacting Medicaid members and low-income communities.
Complex medical language, confusing insurance terminology, and inadequate patient education materials contribute to widespread health literacy problems.
As of 2024, financial literacy in the United States has hovered around 50% for eight consecutive years, with Americans correctly answering only 48-49% of financial literacy questions.
Understanding financial risk is particularly low, with only 35-36% of risk-related financial questions answered correctly in 2024, down from 39% in 2017.
Gen Z scored lowest on financial literacy assessments, correctly answering only 38% of financial literacy questions on average in 2025.
College graduates scored 63% on financial literacy assessments, compared to just 35% for those with only a high school diploma.
The percentage of U.S. adults demonstrating “very low” levels of financial literacy increased from 20% in 2017 to 25% in 2023.
Only 28% of Americans earning less than $25,000 per year are financially literate, compared to 58% of those earning over $100,000.
The lack of financial literacy cost Americans an estimated $388 billion in 2023 through poor financial decisions, high-interest debt, and missed investment opportunities.
Significant gaps persist in financial literacy among demographic groups, including women and Hispanic and Black Americans.
Individuals with very low levels of financial literacy are seven times more likely to spend 20 hours or more per week dealing with personal finance-related issues.