Pew Research Center Survey Reveals Print Books Remain Americans' Preferred Format Despite Digital Growth
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2025 found that 75% of U.S. adults read at least part of a book in the past year. Print books continue to dominate, with 64% of adults having read a physical book in the past 12 months. Digital formats have grown significantly since 2011, with e-book readership rising from 17% to 31% and audiobook usage more than doubling. However, these increases have slowed since 2021. The survey of 8,046 adults revealed demographic differences: college graduates (88%) read more than those with less education, adults under 50 are more likely to use digital formats, and Asian Americans (42%) lead in e-book consumption. Women read more books overall than men. Only 7% of Americans participated in book clubs in the past year. The overall rate of book reading has remained stable since 2011.
Key facts
- 75% of U.S. adults read at least part of a book in the past year
- 64% of adults read a print book in the past 12 months
- 31% of adults read an e-book in the past year
- E-book readership increased from 17% in 2011 to 31% in 2025
- Audiobook usage more than doubled since 2011
- Only 7% of Americans participated in book clubs in the past year
- 88% of college graduates read books compared to 60% of those with high school education or less
- 42% of Asian Americans read e-books compared to around 30% of other racial groups
Entities
Institutions
- Pew Research Center
- American Trends Panel
- SSRS Opinion Panel
Locations
- United States
- Massachusetts
- Boston