In 2025, 40 percent of American adults did not open a book. This is not because books are out of fashion, but rather because Americans are struggling to read. According to the National Literacy Institute, 130 million Americans are unable to read a story to their children. That represents roughly a third of the population that also struggles with reading and comprehension skills. 

In 2024, 21 percent of U.S. adults were found to be functionally illiterate, a condition in which individuals possess basic reading and writing skills but struggle to apply them effectively in everyday situations. According to the National Literacy Institute, 54 percent of adults presented a literacy level below a sixth-grade level. Since 2017, the literacy rate in the U.S. has fallen by nearly 10 points.

Reading, however, is an integral part of our everyday life, from the ingredient list at the grocery store, the name of subway stops, to the weather forecast. Individuals often feel ashamed or embarrassed due to their reading struggles. They often avoid reading aloud or increasingly rely on memory rather than the provided written information. It is difficult for an illiterate individual to partake in basic social and civic activities. These struggles become particularly burdensome in political matters. Therefore, the decline of literacy has grave implications for how Americans navigate their everyday lives and how they approach politics. 

What literacy means and how it is measured

Literacy is commonly defined as the ability to read and write, but more accurately, it encompasses the comprehension, evaluation, and utilization of information across varied fields such as health, financial, and legal matters. 

The National Center of Education Statistics measures adult literacy on a scale from 0 to 500, and categorizes results into five levels reflecting different proficiency skills. Level 1 represents the lowest level of literacy proficiency. Adults in this range have difficulty reading and understanding materials. Those at the higher end of Level 1 can perform simple tasks based on the information they read. Adults below that threshold, which includes one in every five adults,  may only understand basic vocabulary or be functionally illiterate…