| Number of non-daily newspapers |
6,704 1 |
| Number of daily newspapers |
1,457 2 |
| Circulation |
| Weekly community newspapers in the U.S. that are paid circulation |
67% 1 |
| Total circulation of community newspapers |
50 million 1 |
| Average circulation of daily newspapers |
35,192 3 |
| Average circulation of non-daily newspapers |
9,271 3 |
| Percentage of the total paid circulation of weekly community newspapers comes from papers with a circulation of 10,000 or less |
80% 1 |
| Paid circulation of weekly community newspapers |
>16.5 million 1 |
| Free circulation of weekly community newspapers |
>24 million 1 |
| Readership |
| Total community newspaper readership |
>150 million 4 |
| Pass-along rate (number of readers per copy) |
2.10 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who say one or two other people read their copy of the paper |
65% 5 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who live in a household with 2-4 people |
77% 5 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who spend 30 minutes or less reading the paper |
57% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who say they read 75-100% of the paper |
75% 5 |
| Percentage of people living in non-metropolitan areas who say they read a community newspaper at least once a week |
86% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who keep their copy of the paper for 6-9 days |
28.1% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who say they read every or almost every issue of their paper |
83% 4 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are in professional positions |
20% 5 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are retired |
31% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are employed full-time |
38% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are female |
53% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are white |
95% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who have a high school diploma |
91% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who have a four-year college degree |
23% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are married |
60% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who own their own home |
88% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who live in a town with a population of 10,000 or less |
39% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who have an income of $75,000 or less |
55% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are 65 or older |
34% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who are 45 or older |
76% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper reader households that do not have children under 18 |
78% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who have read their paper for 30 years or more |
42% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers subscribe to their paper |
69% 6 |
| Most frequently read news topic in community newspapers |
Local government news 6 |
| Percentage of community market who adults rely on newspapers as their primary source for local news |
59% – more than any other single medium 6 |
| Percentage of readers who are registered to vote |
91% 5 |
| Percentage of local newspaper readers who say their paper’s accuracy is good or excellent |
72% 6 |
| Percentage of local newspaper readers who say their paper’s coverage of local news is good or excellent |
77% 6 |
| Advertising |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who always or frequently read local ads in their paper |
>67% 5 |
| Percentage of community market adults who say newspaper ads are helpful or very helpful in making purchasing decisions |
43% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who said they shopped at a department or discount store during the last 30 days |
97% 5 |
| Percentage of community market adults who plan to purchase men’s clothing in the next 12 months |
60% 6 |
| Percentage of community market adults who plan to purchase women's clothing in the next 12 months |
73% 6 |
| Percentage of community market adults who rely on newspapers more than any other medium for information about grocery shopping |
48.8% 6 |
| Percentage of community market adults who rely on newspapers more than any other medium for information about furniture... |
28.3% 6 |
| ...appliances... |
25.5% 6 |
| ...automobile shopping... |
16.5% 6 |
| ...home improvement |
28.3% 6 |
| Percentage of community newspaper readers who read classified ads frequently |
36% 6 |
| Percentage of those who place classified ads who get many calls or sell their item |
75% 5 |
| Technology and the Web |
| Percentage of community market adults who have Internet access at home |
75% 6 |
| Employment and Ownership |
| Percentage of weekly newspapers that are group-owned |
50% - 67% 7 |
| Average number of full-time employees at a non-daily newspaper |
11 8 |
| Average number of full-time employees at a daily newspaper |
38 8 |
1 Editor & Publisher, 2004
2 NAA, 2004
3 NNA Database, 2006
4 NNA Readership Survey, 1996
5 Pulse Research, 2001
6 NNA Community Newspaper Readership Survey, 2008
7 Sharold Prather, 2003
8 Belden Assocs., 2001 |