Do I read enough?

How many books do people read per year?

The average American reads 12 books per year (Pew Research 2023), but this number is skewed by avid readers. The median is just 4 books — meaning half of adults read fewer than 4 books annually. About 23% of US adults didn't read a single book last year.

Reading statistics (Pew Research / Gallup 2023)

• 0 books: 23% of US adults
• 1–3 books: 25% of adults
• 4–11 books: 25% of adults
• 12+ books: 27% of adults (1/month or more)
• 50+ books: ~5% of adults (voracious readers)

Format trends (2023)

• Print: Still #1 — 65% of readers prefer physical books
• E-books: 30% of readers (growing with Kindle)
• Audiobooks: 23% of adults listened to one (fastest-growing format)

Women read significantly more than men (avg 15.7 vs 9.5 books/year), and college graduates read 2x more than non-graduates.