US adult literacy rates decline with South states showing the lowest scores

A recent report from the National Literacy Institute shows that adult literacy rates in the U.S. are declining. In 2024, 21% of adults were found to be illiterate, up from 19% in 2017. The South has the lowest literacy rates. Louisiana, New Mexico, Mississippi, and Texas ranked the lowest in literacy, with average scores under 254. In contrast, Minnesota and New Hampshire had the highest scores, above 278. The overall average literacy score in the U.S. is similar to that of Germany and the U.K. Factors contributing to low literacy include educational inequality and limited access to resources. High illiteracy rates are particularly noted in areas with large immigrant populations, where English is not the first language.