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How Much Did Americans Read Last Year?

Margaret Lipman

Last Modified Date: February 23, 2024

Did you read a book last year? Whether it was a physical book, an ebook, or an audiobook, if you completed just one, you’re a more voracious reader than 46% of Americans, according to a recent survey by YouGov/The Economist.

The poll asked 1,500 Americans about their reading habits, which for many people are fairly nonexistent. Besides the 46% who didn’t read any books, 5% read just one. So if you read two books, you read more books than half of adult U.S. citizens, while if you read 10 books, you read more than 79% of Americans. Completing over 50 books in 2023 puts you in the top 1%.

According to a YouGov/The Economist survey, only 54% of Americans read (or listened to) at least one book in 2023.

Although the survey asked about several demographic factors, the attribute that correlated most strongly with book readership was education level. Seventy-three percent of college-educated Americans read at least one book in 2023, compared to 44% without a college degree.

Despite the ease of accessing digital books on e-readers and phones, paper books are still more popular. Forty-two percent of poll respondents read at least one physical book in 2023, while 22% read at least one digital book, though the digital format was more popular among the heaviest readers. Nineteen percent of respondents listened to one or more audiobooks.

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The survey also touched on the topic of book ownership. Eighty-five percent of respondents said they own at least one physical book, while 49% own at least one digital book. In terms of book organization, the survey found that 28% don’t bother, while 19% organize by genre, 18% organize by size, and another 18% organize alphabetically (either by author or title). Three percent organize their books by color, while the remaining 4% have their own unique system.

Overall, the most popular genres were mysteries and historical non-fiction, while fantasy, historical fiction, biographies, and literary fiction were also popular.

Want to get (back) into reading and find books you actually want to read? There are a wide range of websites and apps devoted to recording the books you’ve completed and sharing recommendations. Goodreads is perhaps the best known, though there are many alternatives, such as BookSloth, Bookly, and the Storygraph.

Margaret Lipman is a teacher and blogger who frequently writes for WiseGEEK about topics related to personal finance, parenting, health, nutrition, and education. Learn more...

Margaret Lipman

Margaret Lipman is a teacher and blogger who frequently writes for WiseGEEK about topics related to personal finance, parenting, health, nutrition, and education. Learn more...