Literacy rate, youth total in North America

North America: Literacy rate, youth total was 99.6% in 2022. ▬ Flat

Latest (2022)
99.6%
Change on year
unchanged
Rank
5th
of 40 groups
All-time high
99.6%
in 2021
All-time low
99.6%
in 2003
Years of data
12
2003–2022

Literacy rate, youth total in North America, 2003–2022

0204060801002003201220222003: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242004: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242005: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242006: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242007: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242008: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242017: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242018: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242019: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242020: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242021: 99.6 % of people ages 15-242022: 99.6 % of people ages 15-24

Source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Measured in % of people ages 15-24.

Analysis

The most recent figure for literacy rate, youth total in North America is 99.6%, measured in 2022. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.

The figure is up 0.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, literacy rate, youth total in North America peaked at 99.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 99.6%, in 2003.

North America ranks 5th of 40 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

Literacy rate, youth total in North America, year by year

Annual values for Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24) in North America, 2003 to 2022.
Year % of people ages 15-24 Change
2003 99.6%
2004 99.6% +0.0%
2005 99.6% +0.0%
2006 99.6% +0.0%
2007 99.6% +0.0%
2008 99.6% +0.0%
2017 99.6% +0.0%
2018 99.6% +0.0%
2019 99.6% +0.0%
2020 99.6% +0.0%
2021 99.6% +0.0%
2022 99.6% +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 99.6% 99.6% 99.6% 6
2010s 99.6% 99.6% 99.6% 3
2020s 99.6% 99.6% 99.6% 3

Countries ranked near North America

  1. 2 Armenia 99.9% compare
  2. 2 Saudi Arabia 99.9% compare
  3. 2 Singapore 99.9% compare
  4. 5 Azerbaijan 99.9% compare
  5. 6 Belarus 99.9% compare
  6. 7 Republic of Moldova 99.8% compare
  7. 8 Mauritius 99.8% compare

See the full ranking of 135 places →

More education data for North America

All data for North America →

Frequently asked questions

What is literacy rate, youth total in North America?
Literacy rate, youth total in North America was 99.6% in 2022, according to Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
What is the highest literacy rate, youth total recorded in North America?
The highest recorded value was 99.6% in 2021.
What is the lowest literacy rate, youth total recorded in North America?
The lowest recorded value was 99.6% in 2003.
How does North America rank for literacy rate, youth total?
North America ranks 5th out of 40 groups with data for 2022.
Is literacy rate, youth total rising or falling in North America?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this North America data come from?
The figures come from Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published as part of Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Literacy rate, youth total in North America. Statizoid, drawing on Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/literacy-rate-youth-total-percent-of-people-ages-15-24/north-america/

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About this data

Indicator
Literacy rate, youth total (% of people ages 15-24)
Unit
% of people ages 15-24
Source
Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
135 places, 2,762 data points, 1974–2024
Last refreshed

Youth literacy rate is the percentage of people ages 15-24 who can both read and write with understanding a short simple statement about their everyday life.