22 US Newspaper Circulation Statistics You Should Be Aware Of

The history of newspapers in the US is rich. Newspapers have been around for more than three centuries and have shaped the country’s public and political life in countless ways. The first newspaper in America was published in 1690, but a lot has changed since then.

To see how things have changed, let’s look at the most recent print circulation data.

1. The weekday print circulation decreased from 63.3 million copies in 1984 to 28.5 million in 2018.

(Statista)

Considering the extra time readers have on the weekends, they’re more likely to buy a copy on Sunday than on, say, Tuesday. That’s why weekday circulation is perhaps the best way to measure newspaper readership — and that number has gone down drastically since 1984.

The last complete overview of US newspapers by circulation is from 2018. Due to the declining print numbers, the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) has stopped publishing the data regularly. Since then, it has only put out a few brief reports on specific newspapers’ circulation rather than any extensive newspaper market analyses.

2. Only one of the largest newspapers in the US circulated more than 500,000 copies in 2020.

(Press Gazette)

Until recently, having a circulation above one million was a source of pride for the papers that could achieve it. However, only one major newspaper managed to cross the 500,000 mark in the first quarter of 2020  — The Wall Street Journal with 994,600 copies.

3. Most Americans are unaware of US national newspapers’ decline.

(Pew Research Center)

A recent survey found that 71% of people believe American papers are doing well. At the same time, only 14% say that they have paid for their news in some way (e.g., subscriptions or donations). It might be that, thanks to the digital news outlets, the line between print and digital has become blurred for most readers, leaving them unaware of the print’s decline.

4. The current US newspaper circulation is the lowest since 1940.

(Pew Research Center)

1940 was the first year official circulation data was published, and 2018 was the last thus far. At that time, all newspapers combined sold 28.6 million copies on weekdays and 30.8 million on Sunday. Looking at the most recent newspaper circulation data, the 2020 numbers were the lowest since 1940 — and the downward trend shows no signs of stopping.

5. The newspaper ad revenue dropped dramatically in 2020.

(Pew Research Center)

In 2020, the total ad revenue for all US print newspapers dropped by 42% compared to 2019. Although digital advertising saw a rise in recent years, the pandemic-related financial crisis halted it in 2020. According to data from the year’s second quarter, the digital ad revenue went down by 32% year-over-year, forcing many newspapers to lay off staff.

6. All major US newspapers will see their advertising revenue cut in half by 2024.

(Statista)

According to industry predictions, the newspaper advertising revenue will continue to decrease dramatically over the next few years. By these predictions, it will be cut in half — down to $5.5 billion annually. Magazines won’t fare much better than newspapers. Namely, their total print ad revenue is expected to drop to just $6.6 billion over the same period.

7.  By 2024, advertising will make up just over a third of newspapers’ total revenue.

(Statista, Innovation)

The data on newspaper circulation in 2020 shows that print and digital combined make up 52.14% of the total newspaper industry revenue. Although historically the biggest source of income, advertising now only accounts for 41.24%. By 2024, both these revenue streams will drop significantly, and ad revenue will make up only 36% of total earnings.

Some industry insiders claim newspapers will try to make up for these losses in other ways. Organizing events has proven to be the most lucrative in recent years, but it’s still unclear how newspapers can maximize their value in the increasingly digital, post-COVID-19 world.

8. Due to the poor state of newspaper circulation, 1 in 5 papers has shut down in the last 15 years.

(The New York Times)

For centuries now, local news was the backbone of the US newspaper industry. But in the digital era of fast information and 24/7 news cycles, its existence proved almost obsolete. With more and more local newspapers going under in the last 15 years, we’ve seen the rise of the so-called “news deserts” — areas with no papers that would cover the local stories.

9. Top United States newspapers still reach 69% of the population.

(Nielsen)

While print newspapers continue to struggle, not everything is so bleak. According to Nielsen’s most recent market research, all newspapers combined still manage to reach 69% of the total population in one month. However, besides print, this number also includes digital editions and proprietary apps developed by newspaper companies.

10. Although not the most read newspapers in the US, local papers are by far the most trusted.

(Poynter)

According to a survey conducted by Poynter, 73% of US adults trust their local newspapers. Compared to national newspapers, the result is even more impressive, as only 59% say they have trust in national publications, and 47% believe what they read in online-only outlets.

11. Subscribers are the core audience for the top newspapers in the USA.

(American Press Institute)

Newspaper subscriptions provide a secure and constant revenue stream, and they’re also generally good for attracting advertisers. Research shows that 38% of subscribers get both a print and digital newspaper, 84% pay for the print version, and 28% opt for the digital edition.

12. The weekday New York Times circulation has dropped by 79.7% since 2013.

(Statista, Press Gazette)

Although The New York Times has adapted well to the digital era, its print weekday circulation keeps decreasing. In 2013, the newspaper’s weekday circulation was at an all-time high of 1.92 million copies. However, by 2020, the paper’s circulation has reached an all-time low — just 410,562 print copies distributed in the year’s first quarter.

13. The Washington Post’s circulation on weekdays is down by 71.5% from 2004.

(Statista, Press Gazette)

While it never circulated that many copies on weekdays, Washington Post suffered the same losses as all other print newspapers. The paper’s strongest year was 2004, when its weekday edition circulated 726,000 copies. Fast-forward to 2020, and although the paper currently ranks as the fourth most read, it only manages to push 206,824 copies.

14. Considered one of the best quality newspapers in the US, The Wall Street Journal fell below the 1-million mark for the first time in 2020.

(Statista, Press Gazette)

Published by Dow Jones Publications and the Murdoch family-owned News Corp, The Wall Street Journal has been around since 1889 and regularly ranks among the top five most read papers nationwide. In 2020, its weekday print circulation numbers fell below 1 million, pushing 994,600 copies in the year’s first quarter. Although down, this number was enough to rank The Wall Street Journal as the best newspaper in the USA in terms of print sales.

15. Liberal and conservative publications are equally represented among the highest-circulated newspapers.

(Press Gazette, Boston University Libraries)

The representation of liberal and conservative newspapers among the top-selling print publications reflects the liberal-conservative divide within the general US population.

For example, if we look at the list of liberal newspapers among the top 10 bestsellers in 2020, we’ll find the likes of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Los Angeles Times. At the same time, several of the most read papers — including the leading Wall Street Journal — are often included in the list of conservative newspapers. Other such papers include Chicago Tribune and The New York Post.

The only newspaper considered moderate is USA Today. Once the best-selling paper in the country, it now ranks second with 486,579 copies circulated on weekdays in 2020.