Final Book Consumer: Who Buys Print and Digital Books
Final book consumer guide: US print hit 825.7M units in 2021 while 75% of adults read books, per NPD, Pew and AAP data.
Final book consumer demand in the United States stayed print-led in 2021, with 825.7 million print units sold, up 8.9 percent from 757.9 million in 2020, according to NPD BookScan data reported by Publishers Weekly in January 2022. Total US publishing revenue reached 29.33 billion dollars in 2021, up 12.3 percent from 26.1 billion dollars in 2020, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022. Readers comparing markets can start with book market data to understand how retail, format, and survey measures differ before judging where the buyer actually spends.
Who is the final book consumer in the US?
The final book consumer in the US is a mixed-format reader who still favors print, with 75 percent reading any book in the past year and 65 percent reading print, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from January to February 2021 and reported in January 2022. Ebook reading rose to 30 percent in that survey period from 25 percent in 2019, according to Pew Research Center in January 2022. Only 9 percent read digital formats alone, while 33 percent read both print and digital and 32 percent read print only, according to Pew Research Center in January 2022. A parallel look at a smaller national market is available in the Greek book market record, which helps US buyers separate pandemic effects from local structure.
Where does the final book consumer buy books?
The final book consumer returned to stores in 2021, with physical retail revenue at 6.22 billion dollars, up 23.9 percent from 2020, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022.
What formats does the final book consumer choose?
The final book consumer buys mostly physical books, which were 75.5 percent of trade publisher revenue in 2021, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022.
| Format signal | Level in 2021 | Source reported |
|---|---|---|
| Print units sold | 825.7 million units, up 8.9 percent from 757.9 million in 2020 | NPD BookScan reported by Publishers Weekly in January 2022 |
| Print share of adults reading | 65 percent print, 75 percent any book | Pew Research Center survey reported in January 2022 |
| Ebook share of adults reading | 30 percent, up from 25 percent in 2019 | Pew Research Center survey reported in January 2022 |
| Downloaded audio revenue | 1.75 billion dollars, up 12.8 percent | Association of American Publishers summarized by Publishing Perspectives in November 2022 |
| Physical formats share of trade revenue | 75.5 percent | Association of American Publishers summarized by Publishing Perspectives in November 2022 |
Downloaded audio reached 1.75 billion dollars in 2021, up 12.8 percent from the prior year and up 103.9 percent from 2017 to 2021, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022. Buyers tracking listening can compare audiobook platforms for distribution context.
Why does fiction lead final book consumer spending?
Fiction led the final book consumer rebound in 2021, with adult fiction up 25.5 percent and young adult fiction up 30.7 percent, according to NPD BookScan data reported by Publishers Weekly in January 2022. Mean reading was 14 books per reader and median was 5 books in the prior year, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from January to February 2021 and reported in January 2022. Backlist carried volume in 2021, according to NPD BookScan data reported by Publishers Weekly in January 2022.
Final Book Consumer FAQ
How much did the final book consumer spend on US books in 2021?
The final book consumer supported 29.33 billion dollars in US publishing revenue in 2021, up 12.3 percent from 26.1 billion dollars in 2020, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022.
Does the final book consumer prefer print or digital books?
The final book consumer favored print in 2021, with 65 percent reading print and 30 percent reading ebooks, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from January to February 2021 and reported in January 2022.
Where does the final book consumer buy books in 2021?
The final book consumer returned to stores in 2021, with physical retail revenue at 6.22 billion dollars, up 23.9 percent from 2020, according to Publishing Perspectives in November 2022.
How many books does the final book consumer read per year?
The final book consumer read a mean of 14 books and a median of 5 books in the prior year, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted from January to February 2021 and reported in January 2022.