Nearly 3 in 10 US adults read at the lowest level
In the 2023 OECD Survey of Adult Skills, 28% of US adults scored at or below the lowest literacy level, up sharply from 19% in 2017, one of the steepest declines the survey has measured.
- "At or below Level 1" (a score under 226 on a 500-point scale) means an adult can, at most, read short simple texts and find a single piece of information, and struggles to compare or make sense of longer material.
- The share of US adults at this level jumped from 19% in 2017 to 28% in 2023, a statistically significant drop, per the US Education Department's own data.
- The survey (PIAAC) tests adults aged 16 to 65 across dozens of wealthy countries.
Why it mattersMore than one in four American adults now read at the most basic level, and the share is climbing fast, a warning sign for the workforce, civic life, and how easily misinformation spreads.
US Dept. of Education (NCES), P… ↗ · Jul 5, 2026 · ✓ Checked