Which has higher literacy rate, adult total, Philippines or Upper middle income?

Philippines, at 98.5% against 96.2% in Upper middle income as of 2020.

How many years of comparable data are there for Philippines and Upper middle income?

11 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2020.

Where does this data come from?

Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Philippines vs Upper middle income: Literacy rate, adult total

Philippines

98.5%

in 2020

Upper middle income

96.2%

in 2024

Philippines rank

13th

Upper middle income rank

10th

Literacy rate, adult total over time

Philippines
Upper middle income

How they compare

Philippines currently reports 98.5% against 96.2% in Upper middle income, a difference of 2.3%.

Across all 11 years both countries report, Philippines has been ahead every year.

Philippines ranks 13th and Upper middle income ranks 10th of 89 countries.

Philippines has averaged higher in every one of the 5 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Philippines	Upper middle income	Difference	Ahead
1980s	83.3%	70.1%	13.2%	Philippines
1990s	93.7%	82.2%	11.6%	Philippines
2000s	93.5%	91.3%	2.2%	Philippines
2010s	97.0%	94.7%	2.3%	Philippines
2020s	98.5%	95.7%	2.7%	Philippines

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher literacy rate, adult total, Philippines or Upper middle income?: Philippines, at 98.5% against 96.2% in Upper middle income as of 2020.
What is the difference in literacy rate, adult total between Philippines and Upper middle income?: 2.3%, with Philippines ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Philippines and Upper middle income?: 11 years are reported by both, from 1980 to 2020.
How do Philippines and Upper middle income rank globally for literacy rate, adult total?: Philippines ranks 13th and Upper middle income ranks 10th of 89 countries.
Where does this data come from?: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Philippines vs Upper middle income: Literacy rate, adult total. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 17 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-adult-total-percent-of-people-ages-15-and-above/philippines/upper-middle-income/

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<a href="https://education.statizoid.com/compare/literacy-rate-adult-total-percent-of-people-ages-15-and-above/philippines/upper-middle-income/">Philippines vs Upper middle income: Literacy rate, adult total</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Literacy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above)
Unit: % of people ages 15 and above
Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 128 places, 2,592 data points, 1973–2024
Last refreshed: 17 September 2026

Adult literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15 and above who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.