What is the average reading level in the united states

The percentage of U. The percentage performing at the highest levels in literacy i. Percentage distribution of U. NOTE : Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Only statistically significant differences between years are marked with an asterisk. However, compared to higher-performing countries like Japan and Finland , the United States lags behind in literacy.

In literacy, 50 percent of U. For some government services, the average cost of a digital transaction is 5 percent of the cost of a telephone transaction , 3 percent of the cost of a postal transaction, and 2 percent of the cost of a face-to-face transaction. But in addition to cost, customers are demanding digital services. Digital is simpler and easier. It allows customers to get the information they need when they need it. Readability is about making your digital content clear and easy to understand.

When you focus on readability, you increase the chance your target audience will actually read and interact with your content. For this reason, readability should be a natural part of your content management. Without checking the readability of your content, all of your hard work and planning could go to waste. Here are three reasons why readability should be a focus for content editors:. Whether your website is targeted toward the general public or a specific demographic, it is important to realize that the average reading age is lower than you might expect.

If all U. States that have a disproportionate share of adults with low levels of literacy would gain the most economically from increasing literacy skills. If they could be moved to Level 3, the gains would be These two factors in combination explain why North Dakota would see income gains of only 3. Eradicating illiteracy would not solve every problem, but it would help make substantial progress in reducing inequality in the long-term and give a much-needed boost to local and regional economies throughout the country.

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