According to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, 130 million adults in the U.S. lack proficiency in literacy. Explore the relationship of literacy to health, income, and education at the Foundation’s updated Gap Map: https://map.barbarabush.org/, where visitors can also see literacy scores in Anne Arundel County and surrounding areas.
What does adult literacy look like in Maryland?
20% of adults have low literacy, and Maryland ranks 28 out of 50 states in adult literacy rates, where 1 is best — with fewer adults dealing with low literacy (New Hampshire) — and the 50th state has the most adults living with low literacy (Texas). Adults in Pennsylvania and Virginia have slightly better adult literacy scores than in Maryland. The ramifications of low literacy flow into all areas of life, including health, household income, and outcomes for children. See Maryland’s “Adult Literacy Gap Snapshot” for more information.
(source: Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy)
