Books in Urban Life

Libraries and rail public transit have become the places that improve and ease urban life. Although getting lost in a crowded city can be chaotic, it is also beautiful; it is about existing in the city while preserving one's identity.

Books preserve, and even improve, a person's identity; moreover, they build resilience against the pressures of city life. In most countries, young people read more books than adults do. They still love touching a physical book and visualizing the characters in their minds. It is just like skipping stones; book pages carry a person to another shore. When they have a book or headphones with them, commuting to school or an internship for 1–2 hours, or traveling by bus between school and their hometown, becomes appealing. (Trend Group Chillax and Cultural Codes Research)

General Youth and Young Adult Reading Rates by Country

• European Union (Eurostat 2022 data, EU-SILC): The share of people aged 16–29 who read at least one book in the last 12 months is 60.1%. This is higher than any other age group (30–54 years: 53.5%; 55–64: 52.6%; 65+: 47.2%). The EU average for ages 16+ is 52.8%. The data includes e-books and audiobooks but excludes books for school or work.

• United States (Pew Research Center, October 2025 survey): The share of young adults aged 18–29 who read at least one book in any format (print, e-book, or audio) in the last 12 months is 78%. For the general adult population, this rate is 75%. E-book (41%) and audiobook (32%) usage is higher among youth.

• Türkiye (TÜİK Quality of Life Module and related 2022–2024 data): The share of the population aged 15 and over who read at least one book in the last 12 months is around 27–31% (non-readers make up 69–73%). By age group, the highest rate is in the 15–24 or 18–27 range (~50.9%). The lowest rate is among ages 65+ (~14%). While the youth are in a relatively better position, the overall level remains low.

• South Korea: The reading rate among people in their 20s is high (around 74–75% in 2023–2025 data; e-books are more dominant among the youth).

• Northern Europe (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Luxembourg): Adult "at least one book" reading rates generally range between 70–85%.

Average Number of Books Read Annually (Various sources, methodology differences apply)

• USA: ~17

• India: ~16

• United Kingdom: ~15

• France: ~14

• Türkiye: ~6

Key Takeaways on Youth Reading Habits

• General Trend: Although the percentage of youth who read "at least one book a year" is higher than that of adults in most countries, regular/deep reading, enjoyment, and daily reading time are generally low.

• Digital Competition: Screen time (social media, short videos) remains a powerful competitor.

• Community Influence: Platforms like BookTok encourage certain segments of youth, particularly young women and readers of fiction or manga.