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 matters: More 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), PIAAC 2023 US Results ↗ · ۱۴ تیر ۱۴۰۵۰۵/۴/۱۴ · ✓ Checked✓