A reader reference page

U.S. Book Reading & Publishing Statistics

A clear, source-backed snapshot of the book world, from the ways readers gather around stories to the size and shape of U.S. publishing.

Last updated October 9, 2026. Each statistic names the year its source measured.

The numbers behind the shelves

Useful context for people who care about books.

Whether you are writing about reading, planning a bookish gathering, or simply curious about the world behind your next stack, these figures bring reliable context into one place. We use primary industry and public sources, link directly to each one, and keep the measurement year visible so the numbers can be quoted responsibly.

This page is a reference, not a forecast. Publishing revenue and reader participation measure different things, and each source uses its own method. The notes below keep that distinction plain.

Publishing at a glance

U.S. publishing statistics

The latest annual figures from the Association of American Publishers describe publisher revenue for calendar year 2025.

$33.4 billion

U.S. publishing revenue in 2025

This total covers books and course materials across print and digital formats.

Source: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual

$21.7 billion

Consumer-book revenue in 2025

Trade publishing, the category that includes consumer books, grew 2.7% from the prior year.

Source: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual

$7.1 billion

Adult-fiction revenue in 2025

Adult fiction rose 3.9% year over year in AAP's 2025 estimate.

Source: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual

$6.7 billion

Physical-retail revenue in 2025

Publisher sales through physical retail rose 7.2% from 2024.

Source: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual

$2.5 billion

Digital-audio revenue in 2025

Digital-audio revenue grew 5.3% year over year across the industry.

Source: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual

Reader habits and community

How U.S. adults engaged with books

These reader figures come from the National Endowment for the Arts' 2022 survey period. They are the latest national survey figures cited on this page, not a measure of current sales.

48.5%

Of U.S. adults read at least one book in 2022

The federal survey counts print and electronic books read in the previous 12 months.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

37.6%

Of U.S. adults read novels or short stories in 2022

That share was down from 45.2% in 2012 in the same survey series.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

9.2%

Of U.S. adults read poetry in 2022

The figure is from the NEA's nationally administered participation survey.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

Of U.S. adults joined a book or reading group in 2022

The figure captures one small but meaningful way readers gather around books.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

23%

Of U.S. adults visited a public library in 2022

Library visits sit alongside bookstores, book groups, and events in a reader's local ecosystem.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

14%

Of U.S. adults consumed a program or podcast about books or writers in 2022

The NEA reported this measure as another way readers connect with book culture.

Source: National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts

Method and sources

How to read these numbers.

Publishing data: The Association of American Publishers’ 2025 StatShot Annual report estimates U.S. publishing revenue using publisher-reported data, government statistics, market benchmarks, and other industry research. Figures above are publisher revenue, not bookstore sales.

Reader data: The National Endowment for the Arts’ Survey of Public Participation in the Arts is administered roughly every five years by the U.S. Census Bureau. The figures above refer to its 2022 survey period.

Source pages: Association of American Publishers, 2025 StatShot Annual; National Endowment for the Arts, 2022 reading findings; National Endowment for the Arts, reading community findings.

Cite this page

Turn the Page Books. “U.S. Book Reading & Publishing Statistics (2026).” Updated October 9, 2026. https://turnthepageshop.com/book-reading-publishing-statistics. Accessed [date].

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U.S. Book Reading & Publishing Statistics

Useful context for people who care about books.

U.S. publishing statistics

U.S. publishing revenue in 2025

Consumer-book revenue in 2025

Of 2025 trade revenue came from print

Adult-fiction revenue in 2025

Physical-retail revenue in 2025

Digital-audio revenue in 2025

How U.S. adults engaged with books

Of U.S. adults read at least one book in 2022

Of U.S. adults read novels or short stories in 2022

Of U.S. adults read poetry in 2022

Of U.S. adults joined a book or reading group in 2022

Of U.S. adults visited a public library in 2022

Of U.S. adults consumed a program or podcast about books or writers in 2022

How to read these numbers.

Books are better when readers have somewhere to gather.