| U.S. Illiteracy Statistics | Data |
| Percent of U.S. adults who can’t read (below a basic level) | 14 % |
| Number of U.S. adults who can’t read | 32,000,000 |
| Percent of prison inmates who can’t read | 70 % |
| Percent of high school graduates who can’t read | 19 % |
| Reading Level of U.S. Adults | Percent |
| Proficient | 13 % |
| Intermediate | 44 % |
| Basic | 29 % |
| Below Basic | 14 % |
| Demographics of Adults Who Read Below a Basic Level | Percent of Population |
| Hispanic | 41 % |
| Black | 24 % |
| White | 9 % |
| Other | 13 % |
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| Global Illiteracy Statistics | Data |
| Number of people worldwide who can't read | 775,000,000 |
| Percent of the worlds illiterate who are female | 66 % |
| Countries With the Highest Illiteracy Rates | Illiteracy Rate |
| South Sudan | 73 % |
| Mali | 72.3 % |
| Afghanistan | 71.9 % |
| Niger | 71.3 % |
| Burkina Faso | 71.3 % |
| Sierra Leone | 64.9 % |
| Chad | 64.6 % |
| Ethiopia | 61 % |
| << PRIOR DATA SET | NEXT DATA SET >> |
According to the CIA World Factbook, almost 75% of the world's 775 million illiterate adults are concentrated in ten countries (in descending order: India, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo). |
| Related Statistics |
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Reading Statistics |
| |
Percent of Children Read and Sung To |
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Attention Span Statistics |
| Statistic Verification |
| Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute of Literacy |
| Research Date: December 2nd, 2015 |
Questions: How many American adults can't read? Statistics on adult illiteracy rates in the U.S.? What percent of U.S. adults can't read? |
