About 50 Million Americans Have Limited or No Access to Local News
The Fact
Northwestern University's Medill School reported in 2025 that about 50 million Americans have limited or no access to local news, that 213 counties are 'news deserts,' that 136 newspapers closed in the past year, and that newspaper jobs have fallen by more than three-quarters since 2005.
What This Means
In many places, nobody is covering the city council, the school board, or the local courts anymore.
Why It Matters
When local reporting disappears, people get their picture of the world from national outlets and social media instead.
Sources
Medill, Northwestern University. “News Deserts Hit New High and 50 Million Have Limited Access to Local News,” 2025. https://www.medill.northwestern.edu/news/2025/news-deserts-hit-new-high-and-50-million-have-limited-access-to-local-news-study-finds.html