Minneapolis Named America's Most Literate City
Survey Assesses Range of Literacy Indicators Within Cities
City Specifics
The survey ranks cities with a population of 250,000 or more, based on 6 key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources. The 2007 survey marks the fifth year of the America's Most Literate City ranking and assessed 69 cities.
The other highly-literate cities in the top ten listed by ranking are: Minneapolis, Minnesota; Seattle, Washington; St. Paul, Minnesota; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; St. Louis, Missouri; San Francisco, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and, Boston, Massachusetts.
Minneapolis, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Denver, and Washington, D.C. have been at the top of the study since the inception of the study. St. Paul, Minnesota, is one of few showing increases in newspaper circulation, the number of library branches and circulation, and public access to the Internet, and for support to bookstores.
What It Means
Have you read a good book lately? If you are like half of country, probably not, per National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) statistics about many Americans don't read a single book all year. Its most recent report assesses how Americans with declining frequency and at lower comprehension levels. Combining the NEA report with the America's Most Literate City survey provides an idea of who is reading and where.
While the general American education level is rising - 43 of the cities in the study have a higher percentage of high school graduates than they did five years ago, and 46 of the cities have a higher percentage of college graduates - they are reading fewer newspapers. Similarly, no city has more independent bookstores than it did in 2003, and 95 percent (57 out of 60) have fewer retail stores.
The literate cities survey analyzes how reading is an integral element of social capital in the United States. Beyond the status of receiving a high ranking, the survey indicates health in the greater community. According to survey background, the data helps analysis of the "extent and quality of the long-term literacy essential to individual economic success, civic participation, and the quality of life in a community and a nation."
Like any survey and ranking, the America's Most Literate City list is not all inclusive, particularly as it does not include smaller communities and only assesses print media instead of Internet reading. However, the survey is another tool that assesses if and how communities promote greater literacy.
Sources:
Published by Anne Chekal
I am a professional writer working in the nonprofit field. View profile
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17 Comments
Post a CommentGreat information! thank you so much for sharing!
An inforrmative article and very interesting reading. Well written.
very interesting information! well done!
I didn't think Cincinnati would have a chance. :)
Very interesting info!..written very well, I might add!
Great article. I love Minnesota. My brother lives there so I go to Twins games and the Old Spaghetti Factory a lot when I visit him.
Great article. I love Minnesota. My brother lives there so I go to Twins games and the Old Spaghetti Factory a lot when I visit him.
Great article. I love Minnesota. My brother lives there so I go to Twins games and the Old Spaghetti Factory a lot when I visit him.
Wut? New Yowrk is not nummer 1? Dat's insane!
Just kidding! Interesting article. I didn't know they did a survey like this.
I'm in St. Louis...we're No. 2 on the Most Dangerous City list and ranked No. 6 on the Literacy List. I guess we're reading a lot about how to commit crimes.