Reading

 

Americans:

1. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), 21 percent of adults in the United States (about 43 million) fall into the illiterate/functionally illiterate category. Apr 29, 2020

 

2. The average American is considered to have a readability level equivalent to a 7th/8th grader (12 to 14 years old). This level is actively used as a benchmark for written guidelines in the medical industry. Mar 22, 2017

 

3. The share of Americans who report not reading any books in the past 12 months has fluctuated over the years the (Pew Research) Center has studied it. The 23% of adults who currently say they have not read any books (not even a junk novel) in the past year is identical to the share who said this in 2014. (This is scary. I read 4-5 books a month. And we wonder at the political mess we are in. ~Bob)