When it comes to reading, third-graders in the Magic City are far exceeding the capabilities of their counterparts from larger U.S. cities.
Based on city test scores as reported in the Retirement Systems of Alabama’s The Advisor newsletter, more than 75 percent of third-grade students in Birmingham meet reading standards in 2025.
This sets Birmingham’s scholars more than 10 percentage points above the next closest metro, New York City, and nearly 40 percentage points above Atlanta. Birmingham students also outperformed third-graders from Tampa, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
The 2025 results mark a drastic improvement compared to 2023, where just over 50 percent of third graders met reading standards, which was comparable to New York’s percentage at the time.
