The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project’s Reading Habits in Different Communities report can help libraries in different kinds of communities better target their services.

While there were some significant differences in reading preferences among city, suburban, and rural dwellers, the report noted, “No matter where they live, people of similar ages and similar socio-economic profiles read and engage their libraries at roughly the same level. To the degree that there is variance among the reading styles in communities, those differences are associated with the demographic makeup of these communities, not because there is something unique about rural residence, or urban residence, or being a suburbanite.”

When compared to one another, urban residents are most likely to be young, African-American and Latino, unemployed or students, and to report lower household income. Suburban residents tended to be middle-aged, have higher income, and be employed full time. Rural residents are more often older, more likely to be retired or disabled, to be white, and to have a high school diploma or less

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