Gen Z’s Reading Habits Are Evolving, Not Declining, New Study Shows

New research indicates that a growing share of Gen Z identifies as readers, with increases in print, digital, and hybrid book consumption, challenging claims that youth reading is collapsing.

Researchers behind “How Gen Z Discover and Consume Books” report that reading among younger Americans is not in decline but undergoing a transformation. Their nationally representative surveys from 2020, 2022 and 2025 show that 66% of Gen Z now label themselves as readers, a rise of 14 percentage points since 2022, and that 65% have read at least one printed book in the last year. The study highlights a multimodal approach, with youths moving fluidly between print, e-books, audiobooks and platforms like Wattpad, Webtoon, Kindle Unlimited, DC Universe Infinite and Marvel Comics online.

Physical books remain popular, driven by a desire for “digital detox,” Instagram-worthy aesthetics and the pleasure of gifting or borrowing. Library use and in-store purchases have increased, correlating with lower loneliness scores, and independent bookstores have flourished, reflected in a 70% growth. The authors argue that traditional metrics such as the American one outlet Use Survey overlook these post-digital reading activities, leading to misleading narratives about a generational reading crisis.