In an increasingly digital world, print media often feels like a relic of the past—but it hasn’t disappeared entirely. While the share of Americans who subscribe to print magazines has declined in recent years, CivicScience data show a slight rebound from 22% in 2024 to 24% in 2025, suggesting that print still holds value for a segment of readers.

So who’s keeping print magazines afloat?

Baby Boomers aged 65+ are by far the most likely to subscribe, with 41% reporting they currently receive a print magazine. While overall intent to subscribe remains low, Gen Z adults aged 18–29 lead in future intent, albeit at just 3%. Men and women are equally likely to subscribe, while those earning over $100K annually are slightly more inclined than lower-income households. Regionally, rural residents, along with those living in the West and Midwest, show a slight edge in print magazine readership.

But demographics aren’t the only thing separating subscribers from non-subscribers. CivicScience data reveal distinct media habits and attitudes among those who still subscribe to print magazines:

• News Consumption Habits: Print magazine subscribers are most likely to say they primarily read the news, but compared to non-subscribers, they’re more likely to take a multi-format approach of reading, watching, and listening.

• Multiple Sources: They tend to be more engaged news consumers overall, with subscribers 10 points more likely to say they check two or more news sources daily, with many landing in the three-to-four source range.

• Morning News Routine: Among those who follow the news, print magazine subscribers show a slightly greater preference for consuming news in the morning.

• Print Loyalty: Unsurprisingly, they’re also far more likely to subscribe to other print formats—34% say they subscribe to a print newspaper, compared to just 6% of those who don’t subscribe to print magazines.

• Climate Concerns: They’re also over 10 points more likely to say they are very concerned about climate change.