The significance of literacy has been a topic of investigation among educators and researchers alike.
This article discusses literacy statistics both globally and within the United States. Here I have gathered all the essential statistics about literacy.
Let’s quickly get into it.
Table of Contents
Literacy Statistics (Top Picks)
Discover eye-opening statistics on global literacy rates and their implications for education and socioeconomic development worldwide.
- Globally, the literacy rate is almost 87%.
- The male literacy rate is 90.16% worldwide, while the Female literacy rate is 83.46%.
- Uzbekistan has most literacy rate in the world, with 99.99%.
- literacy rate for people over 18 years of age is 85.25% in the United States.
- 31.6% of adults in the United States have Mid or High English Literacy.
- New Hampshire has the highest literacy rate in the United States, with 94.20%.
- California has the lowest literacy rate in the United States, with 76.90%.
- Only 35% of public school students in the US demonstrate proficiency in grade 4.
- 8th Grader females scored an average of 10 points more than Males.
- 1.2 million teens drop out each year in the United States.
- 73% of children from families with low educational backgrounds reside in low-income communities.
- 85% of young students involved in juvenile court are illiterate.
- Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Hampshire had the highest child literacy rates.
- Low-income children have a 30 million word gap compared to their higher-income peers.
- In the United States, illiteracy costs $362.49 billion.
What Are The Literacy Rates Worldwide?
As is commonly understood, literacy refers to the capacity to read and write, focusing on basic, practical knowledge relevant to everyday life.
In this section, we will see some of the essential global literacy statistics.
- Globally, the literacy rate is almost 87%.
Statista said the most recent update regarding the literacy rate was in 2020. That year, the literacy rate increased by 0.16% compared to 2019, reaching 86.81%.
According to World Economic Forum, this literacy rate was just 12% in 1820.
If we compare this to 2000, the literacy rate was only 80.87%. From 2000 to 2020, the literacy rate declined only once, by 0.05% in 2005.
Here is a comprehensive overview of the world literacy rate from 2000 to 2020.
| Year | Literacy Rate | Y-O-Y Growth |
| 2000 | 80.87% | 0.12% |
| 2001 | 81.18% | 0.31% |
| 2002 | 81.55% | 0.38% |
| 2003 | 82.07% | 0.51% |
| 2004 | 82.47% | 0.40% |
| 2005 | 82.42% | -0.05% |
| 2006 | 82.61% | 0.19% |
| 2007 | 82.94% | 0.34% |
| 2008 | 83.43% | 0.48% |
| 2009 | 83.72% | 0.29% |
| 2010 | 84.11% | 0.39% |
| 2011 | 84.32% | 0.21% |
| 2012 | 84.76% | 0.44% |
| 2013 | 84.95% | 0.19% |
| 2014 | 85.40% | 0.45% |
| 2015 | 85.56% | 0.16% |
| 2016 | 86.01% | 0.45% |
| 2017 | 86.25% | 0.24% |
| 2018 | 86.28% | 0.03% |
| 2019 | 86.66% | 0.38% |
| 2020 | 86.81% | 0.16% |
- East Asia and the Pacific region had a 96.01 % of literacy rate in 2020.
South Asia had a literacy rate of 73.28% in 2020, while East Asia and the Pacific had a literacy rate of 96.01%.
Below is a list of regions and their respective literacy rates:
- East Asia and the Pacific: 96.01%
- Latine America and Caribbean: 94.12%
- World: 86.81%
- South Asia: 73.28%
- Sub-Saharan Africa: 67.27%
- Globally, the male literacy rate is 90.16%, while the Female literacy rate is 83.46%.
The literacy rate for men was 90.16%, and for women, it was 83.46%.
In 2019, the literacy rate for males was 90.08%, while the rate for females was 83.25%. In 2020, there was a slight increase of 0.08% for males and 0.21% for females.
Here are additional insights on the literacy rates of males and females from 2000 to 2020.
| Year | Male Literacy Rate | Female Literacy Rate |
| 2000 | 86.19% | 75.60% |
| 2001 | 86.37% | 76.03% |
| 2002 | 86.71% | 76.44% |
| 2003 | 87.16% | 77.01% |
| 2004 | 87.49% | 77.48% |
| 2005 | 87.49% | 77.38% |
| 2006 | 87.48% | 77.96% |
| 2007 | 87.63% | 78.29% |
| 2008 | 88.06% | 78.79% |
| 2009 | 88.24% | 79.2% |
| 2010 | 88.30% | 79.96% |
| 2011 | 88.39% | 80.30% |
| 2012 | 88.79% | 80.74% |
| 2013 | 88.94% | 80.97% |
| 2014 | 89.19% | 81.52% |
| 2015 | 89.34% | 81.79% |
| 2016 | 89.70% | 82.33% |
| 2017 | 89.83% | 82.67% |
| 2018 | 89.79% | 82.80% |
| 2019 | 90.08% | 83.25% |
| 2020 | 90.16% | 83.46% |
Top 10+ Countries With Highest Literacy Rate
Here are the top 10 countries with the highest literacy rates in the world. Let’s take a look without delay.
- Uzbekistan has most literacy rate in the world, with 99.99%.
Uzbekistan tops the world in literacy rate, with 99.99%. Uzbekistan is followed by Ukraine and San Marino, with 99.97 and 99.92%, respectively.
Here is a list of the top 10 countries with highest literacy rates.
- Uzbekistan- 99.99%
- Ukraine- 99.97%
- San Marino- 99.92%
- Latvia- 99.89%
- Estonia- 99.89%
- Czech Republic- 99.83%
- Lithuania- 99.82%
- Tajikistan- 99.80%
- Azerbaijan- 99.79%
- Kazakhstan- 99.78%
To 10+ Countries With The Lowest Literacy Rate
We’ve already looked at the top 10 countries with the highest literacy rates. Now, let’s take a look at the top 10 countries with the lowest literacy rates. Here they are.
- Chad has the lowest literacy rate, with 22.31%.
According to data, Chad has the lowest literacy rate in the world, with a percentage of 22.31%. Guinea follows closely with the second-lowest literacy rate of 32%.
Here are the top 10 countries with the lowest literacy rate.
- Chad- 22.31%
- Guinea- 32%
- South Sudan- 34.52%
- Niger- 35.05%
- Mali- 35.47%
- Central African Republic- 37.40%
- Burkina Faso- 41.22%
- Benin- 42.36%
- Afghanistan- 43.02%
- Sierra Leone- 43.21%
What Are The Literacy Rates In The United States?
In this section, you’ll find essential statistics about the literacy rate in the United States. The section will cover adult and child literacy rates and provide a broad overview.
Let’s take a look.
Adult Literacy Statistics
In this section, we will examine the literacy rate of Americans over 18 years old and the states with the highest and lowest literacy rates.
Now, let’s take a closer look.
- The adult (Above 18 years old) literacy rate in the United States is 85.25%.
Based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics, approximately 79% of U.S. adults possess medium to high proficiency in English literacy; these levels allow for activities such as comparing and contrasting information, paraphrasing, and making basic inferences.
The remaining 21% of U.S. adults, comprising approximately 43.0 million individuals, have low literacy skills. But overall, the United States has an 85.25% of literacy rate. And 54% of adults have literacy below the sixth-grade level.
- Of the literate people in the United States, 35% are white.
Approximately 35% of individuals with low English literacy skills are White, of whom 2% were born outside of the U.S.
Additionally, 23% are Black, of whom 3% were born outside of the U.S. 34% of individuals with low English literacy skills are of Hispanic descent, of whom 24% were born outside of the U.S.
Finally, 8% of individuals with low English literacy skills are of other races/ethnicities. It is worth noting that non-U.S.-born adults make up 34% of the U.S. population with low literacy skills.
- 31.6% of adults in the United States have Mid or High English Literacy.
Based on data from the National Center for Education Statistics, 31.6% of adults possess level 2 proficiency on the PIAAC literacy scale, which equates to 65.10 million adults.
According to recent research, 34.6% of adults possess level 3 proficiency, while 12.9% have level 4 or 5 proficiency. This equates to 71.4 million and 26.6 million adults, respectively.
Here is a table that provides a complete overview of the literacy rate in the United States.
| Level Of Proficiency On The PIAAC Literacy Scale | Literacy Percentage | The Number Of Adults |
| Below Level 1 | 4.1% | 8.4 million |
| Level 1 | 12.9% | 26.5 million |
| Level 2 | 31.6% | 65.1 million |
| Level 3 | 34.6% | 71.4 million |
| Level 4 or 5 | 12.9% | 26.6 million |
| Could Not Participate | 4% | 8.2 million |
Adult Literacy Statistics By State
Here are some essential statistics on adult literacy by state in the United States.
- Alabama has an 85.20% of literacy rate in the United States.
In the United States, New Hampshire boasts the highest literacy rate among all U.S. states, while California has the lowest at 76.90%.
Below is a table that shows the adult literacy rate in the United States by State.
| State | Literacy Rate |
| Alabama | 85.20% |
| Alaska | 90.80% |
| Arizona | 86.90% |
| Arkansas | 86.30% |
| California | 76.90% |
| Colorado | 90.10% |
| Connecticut | 91.40% |
| Delaware | 89.30% |
| District of Columbia | n/a |
| Florida | 80.30% |
| Georgia | 83.30% |
| Hawaii | 84.10% |
| Idaho | 89.50% |
| Illinois | 87.10% |
| Indiana | 92.00% |
| Lowa | 92.50% |
| Kansas | 92.20% |
| Kentucky | 87.80% |
| Louisiana | 84.00% |
| Maine | 92.60% |
| Maryland | 88.80% |
| Massachusetts | 90.10% |
| Michigan | 91.70% |
| Minnesota | 94.00% |
| Mississippi | 84.00% |
| Missouri | 92.50% |
| Montana | 91.20% |
| Nebraska | 92.70% |
| Nevada | 83.90% |
| New Hampshire | 94.20% |
| New Jersey | 83.10% |
| New Mexico | 83.50% |
| New York | 83.10% |
| North Carolina | 86.4% |
| North Dakota | 93.70% |
| Ohio | 90.90% |
| Oklahoma | 87.70% |
| Oregon | 89.80% |
| Pennsylvania | 87.40% |
| Rhode Island | 91.50% |
| South Carolina | 85.30% |
| South Dakota | 93.00% |
| Tennessee | 86.80% |
| Texas | 81.00% |
| Utah | 90.60% |
| Vermont | 93.40% |
| Virginia | 88.00% |
| Washington | 90.20% |
| West Virginia | 86.60% |
| Wisconsin | 92.70% |
| Wyoming | 91.10% |
Top 10 States With Highest Literacy Rate As Of 2024
- New Hampshire has the highest literacy rate in the United States, with 94.20% as of 2024.
Prosperity For America reports that New Hampshire has the highest literacy rate in the country. Following closely behind are Minnesota and North Dakota, with rates of 94% and 93.70%, respectively.
Here is a list of the top 10 States with their literacy rates.
- New Hampshire- 94.20%
- Minnesota- 94.00%
- North Dakota- 93.70%
- Vermont- 93.40%
- South Dakota- 93%
- Wisconsin- 92.70%
- Nebraska- 92.70%
- Maine- 92.60%
- Missouri- 92.50%
- Lowa- 92.50%
Top 10 States With Lowest Literacy Rate As Of 2024
- California has the lowest literacy rate in the United States, with 76.90%.
According to recent data, California currently has the lowest literacy rate among all states in the United States as of 2024.
Following California, New York, and Florida have the lowest literacy rates, 77.90%, and 80.30%, respectively.
Here is a list of the top 10 states with the lowest literacy rates as of 2024.
- California- 76.90%
- New York- 77.90%
- Florida- 80.30%
- Texas- 81%
- New Jersey- 81.10%
- Georgia- 83.30%
- New Mexico- 83.50%
- Nevada- 83.90%
- Louisiana- 84%
- Mississippi- 84%
Child Literacy Statistics
In this section, I’ve gathered all of the significant statistics regarding child literacy rates in the United States.
Let’s examine them closely.
Grade Level Proficiency
Measuring child literacy is done through grade level proficiency, and this section will present important statistics on the topic within the United States.
- Only 35% of public school students in the US demonstrate proficiency in grade four.
Based on findings from the Children’s Reading Foundation, it has been reported that 20% of children begin elementary school without adequate proficiency in their grade level.
The National Center For Education Statistics (NCES) has found that 34% of fourth-grade students lack a basic level of proficiency in reading. And Only 35% of public school students have proficiency in grade 4.
In addition, it is worth noting that 4% of fourth-grade students are reading below the basic level, with 31% reading below the proficient level.
- 39% of eighth-grade students are below the proficient reading level.
According to NCES reports, approximately 27% of eighth-grade students read below the primary level. Additionally, 39% are reading below the proficient level.
According to Children’s reading foundation reports, students lagging in literacy only make progress equivalent to one year’s worth at each grade level. This puts them at risk of repeating grades.
- 8th Grader females scored an average of 10 points more than Males.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, Female 8th Graders scored an average of 10 points higher than their male counterparts on the reading section.
In general, fourth-grade students demonstrated a 5-point improvement since 1992, while eighth-grade students showed a 7-point improvement during the same period.
Causes Of Child Illiteracy
Many factors, including parental and home environment, can cause childhood illiteracy.
Living situations are especially critical in childhood illiteracy and can be impacted by parental income level, crime, regional location, violence, and employment status.
- 73% of children from families with low educational backgrounds reside in low-income communities.
Understanding a family’s history of illiteracy is crucial to a child’s reading and overall development. Research has shown that parents with limited literacy may struggle to foster literacy in their offspring.
According to Comic Relief U.S., approximately 73% of children from families with low education background resides in low-income communities.
Also, according to NCES, around 35% of the people in the United States consist of non-US-born individuals.
Many families who have immigrated to the United States face challenges in adopting the English language and education system, which can result in a lack of proper education and ultimately lead to illiteracy.
Effects Of Child Illiteracy
Child illiteracy has several effects on society and children. In this section, you will find key statistics that demonstrate these effects.
- 85% of young students involved in juvenile court are illiterate.
BeginToRead reports that two-thirds will end up in jail or on welfare if a student does not have proficient reading skills by the fourth grade.
Around 85% of young students involved in the juvenile court process are illiterate.
BeginToRead also found that approximately 70% of inmates in United States prisons can not read above the fourth-grade level.
- Low literacy costs $255 billion due to lost Crime, workforce productivity, and tax revenue from unemployment.
According to ProLiteracy, low literacy results in an estimated $255 billion loss in Crime, workforce productivity, and tax revenue due to unemployment.
Illiteracy can also add to the expenses of federal and state welfare programs. According to BeginToRead, a majority of welfare recipients are individuals who did not complete their education, while most food stamp recipients have low levels of literacy.
- 1.2 million teens drop out each year in the United States.
ProLiteracy states that approximately 1.2 million teenagers- or 1 out of 6 high school students- drop out yearly.
The most significant portion of students who drop out have struggled academically since their early years in school.
Child Literacy Statistics By State
As we have already examined adult literacy by state, we will now take a look at child literacy by state.
- Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Hampshire had the highest child literacy rates.
According to recent data, Massachusetts, Maryland, and New Hampshire have had the highest literacy rates in the United States. In contrast, Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Mexico had the lowest literacy rates.
Here are the top 10 states with child literacy and reading proficiency.
| States | Students With Low Reading Proficiency |
| Massachusetts | 53% |
| Maryland | 55% |
| New Hampshire | 55% |
| Virginia | 57% |
| Connecticut | 57% |
| Vermont | 58% |
| New Jersey | 58% |
| Colorado | 59% |
| Minnesota | 59% |
| Pennsylvania | 60% |
Impact Of Literacy/Illiteracy On The Economy
Literacy is a crucial factor in driving economic growth in a nation as it enhances a country’s human capital.
In this section, I have gathered all the essential statistics that show the impact of literacy/illiteracy on the Economy.
- Low-income children have a 30 million word gap compared to their higher-income peers.
According to Betty Hart and Todd Risley’s Study, there is a significant difference of 30 million words between children in low-income families and those in higher-income families.
The report outlines how an average child in a higher-income family experiences nearly 45 million words by age 4, compared to the 13 million words heard by an average child in a low-income family.
This highlights the economic impact of illiteracy on families and the perpetual cycle of low literacy it creates.
- Individuals with limited reading and writing abilities earn between 30%-42% less than those who are literate.
Across the globe, illiteracy affects personal income in different ways, but one thing is certain: it hinders earning potential.
Individuals lacking basic literacy skills earn between 30% to 42% less than those who possess these skills and cannot pursue further vocational education or training that would improve their earning capacity.
- In the United States, illiteracy costs $362.49 billion.
According to the World Literacy Foundation, illiteracy has significant economic costs. Developed countries lose 2% of their total GDP while emerging economies lose 1.2% and developing countries lose 0.5%.
Based on these percentages, illiteracy costs $362.49 billion in the United States, $57.07 billion in the United Kingdom, and $68.27 billion in Germany.
Here are tables showing some developed, Emerging, and Developing countries with their illiteracy costs.
- Developed Countries
| Country | Cost Of illiteracy |
| The United States | $362.49 billion |
| The United Kingdom | $57.07 billion |
| Germany | $68.27 billion |
| France | $49.39 billion |
| Canada | $32.31 billion |
- Emerging Countries
| Country | Cost Of illiteracy |
| China | $134.54 billion |
| Brazil | $22.84 billion |
| India | $27.69 billion |
| Mexico | $14.78 billion |
| Russia | $14.11 billion |
- Developing Countries
| Country | Cost Of illiteracy |
| Afghanistan | $0.10 billion |
| Bangladesh | $1.02 billion |
| Cambodia | $0.08 billion |
| Nepal | $0.10 billion |
| Sudan | $0.38 billion |
Related Read:
Conclusion: Literacy Statistics For (2024)
Improving literacy rates is crucial for individuals and societal well-being, leading to better education, employment, and overall quality of life.
Programs such as early childhood education, adult literacy, and community- efforts aim to improve these rates.
I hope that you found this article informative. Please let me know in the comments section below if I omitted any information from the above statistics.
FAQs
What percentage is a reasonable literacy rate?
It is typically observed that developed nations have an adult literacy rate of 96% or higher. However, in contrast, the least developed countries tend to have an average literacy rate of only 65%.
What is the United States ranked in literacy?
The United States ranked 51st in the world by literacy rate, with an average literacy rate of 79%.
Are literacy rates improving?
In the past 65 years, the worldwide literacy rate has grown by 4% every five years. Significant strides have been made in increasing access to primary education and reducing educational disparities, but considerable challenges remain to be tackled.
What causes illiteracy in the United States?
The role of poverty in determining a child’s early literacy development is significant. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 22% of children in the U.S. live in poverty. Additionally, 43% of adults living in poverty have low literacy levels.
What is the world’s average literacy?
Over the last 50 years, the percentage of adults who are literate worldwide has risen from 67% in 1976 to 86.8% in 2020. Back in 1976, the literacy rate among males was 76%, compared to 58% among females.
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