Millions of adults in the United States lack the reading skills needed for everyday life, according to the latest official assessments. The 2023 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), found that 28% of U.S. adults ages 16 to 65 scored at Level 1 or below in literacy. This was a substantial increase from 19% in 2017. These adults struggle with basic tasks such as understanding short texts, locating information in documents, completing simple forms, or following straightforward written instructions.
International breakdowns of the same data show roughly 12% of U.S. adults scored below Level 1 (the lowest category) and another 16% at Level 1. Adults below Level 1 are often described by education officials as functionally illiterate in practical terms: they may be unable to determine the meaning of sentences, read short texts to find a single piece of information, or complete basic forms. The broader group at Level 1 or below is frequently cited in discussions of low or functional illiteracy.
Average literacy scores also fell, dropping 12 points from 271 in 2017 to 258 in 2023. The share of adults at higher proficiency levels (Level 3 or above) declined modestly as well. These shifts contributed to a widening gap between higher- and lower-skilled adults. Methodological changes in the 2023 assessment (including full tablet administration and better measurement of basic skills) warrant some caution in direct comparisons, but NCES described the rise in the lowest-performing group as substantial.
Other widely circulated figures, often from the National Literacy Institute or modeled estimates, cite roughly 21% of adults as illiterate or functionally illiterate and about 54% reading below a sixth-grade level, along with absolute numbers in the range of 45–57 million adults. These draw on earlier PIAAC cycles or related analyses and align directionally with the official low-literacy share, though definitions of “functional illiteracy” vary.
Low literacy is linked to challenges in employment, health management (such as understanding medication instructions), civic participation, and economic productivity. The 2023 results highlight a persistent and, by some measures, growing challenge for adult education and workforce development in the United States.
SOURCES:
Most California students struggle in reading and math, new test scores show
PIAAC – PIAAC Highlights of U.S. National Results
What Is Functional Illiteracy?
Adult Literacy Is Mysteriously Declining Across Many High-Income Countries – Science Politics
Survey: Growing number of U.S. adults lack literacy skills
US Map Reveals Adult Literacy Rates by State – Beyond Basics
Are 1 in 5 American adults functionally illiterate? | Fact brief
