Comprehensive guide to American newspapers by state, including daily and weekly publications
The American newspaper industry has undergone significant transformation, with digital subscriptions now exceeding print circulation at most major publications.
| Rank | Newspaper | Print Circulation | Digital Subscribers | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Wall Street Journal | 412,000 | 4.13M | New York, NY |
| 2 | The New York Times | 250,000 | 10.3M | New York, NY |
| 3 | New York Post | 131,217 | N/A | New York, NY |
| 4 | The Washington Post | 127,724 | 3M+ | Washington, DC |
| 5 | USA Today | 121,603 | N/A | McLean, VA |
| 6 | Los Angeles Times | 79,000 | N/A | Los Angeles, CA |
| 7 | Chicago Tribune | 68,000 | N/A | Chicago, IL |
| 8 | New York Daily News | 55,000 | N/A | New York, NY |
| 9 | The Boston Globe | 48,000 | N/A | Boston, MA |
| 10 | San Francisco Chronicle | 45,000 | N/A | San Francisco, CA |
Source: Alliance for Audited Media, September 2024. No US newspaper now has a print circulation of 500,000 or more copies daily.
America's largest newspaper by print circulation, founded in 1889. Focuses on business, financial, and economic news. Owned by News Corp.
The "Gray Lady" is America's newspaper of record, founded in 1851. Leads in digital subscriptions with 10.3M+ paying subscribers.
Leading newspaper for political coverage, founded in 1877. Famous for Watergate reporting. Owned by Jeff Bezos since 2013.
America's first national general-interest daily, launched in 1982. Known for colorful graphics and accessible format. Owned by Gannett.
Published every day or every weekday. The US has 938 daily newspapers as of 2025. Only one-third still print seven days a week.
Examples: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, local city dailies
Published once per week, typically covering smaller communities or specialized topics. Often more affordable to operate than dailies.
Examples: Community papers, rural county newspapers
Free weekly publications focusing on arts, culture, entertainment, and local events. Distributed in urban areas and rely on advertising.
Examples: Village Voice (NYC), LA Weekly, Chicago Reader
Publications serving specific ethnic or immigrant communities, often bilingual. Include African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and other ethnic press.
Examples: Rafu Shimpo (Japanese), El Diario (Spanish)
Focus on financial markets, business news, and economic reporting. Target professional and investor audiences.
Examples: Wall Street Journal, Investor's Business Daily, Barron's
Published by high schools and universities, providing journalism training. Often award-winning and tackling campus issues.
Examples: The Harvard Crimson, The Daily Northwestern
Find local newspapers in every US state. Each state page includes daily newspapers, weekly publications, and community papers.
Access historic newspapers online for genealogy research, historical study, and journalism archives.
Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1756-1963. Over 4,051 newspapers available for viewing, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Browse ArchivesRepository of historical California newspapers from 1846-present, including the first California newspaper. Over 1.2 million issues comprising 16.9 million pages.
Browse ArchivesThe largest online newspaper archive, used by millions for genealogy, family history, historical research, and journalism. Includes billions of historical newspaper pages.
Visit SiteMost state libraries maintain free digital newspaper archives. Check your state library website for local newspaper collections dating back to the 1800s.
Find Your State LibraryMore than 8 in 10 Americans now get news via digital devices through apps, podcasts, or social media. Digital subscriptions have become the primary revenue source for major newspapers.
Ten companies control a quarter of all US newspapers and more than half of all dailies:
| Company | Total Papers | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gannett | 487 | USA Today, local papers nationwide |
| Tribune/MediaNews Group | 190 | Owned by Alden Global Capital |
| Lee Enterprises | 152 | Regional dailies across US |
| Adams Publishing Group | 142 | Community newspapers |
| Paxton Media Group | 100+ | Southeast and Midwest papers |
American newspapers have served communities since 1690, when Publick Occurrences became the first newspaper published in the colonies. Today, despite the challenges of digital transformation, newspapers remain essential sources for local news, investigative journalism, and civic information.
This directory includes links to daily newspapers, weekly publications, and specialized papers across all 50 states, covering local news, business, sports, entertainment, and community events. Types include: Advertiser, Advocate, Bulletin, Chronicle, Citizen, Courier, Daily, Democrat, Dispatch, Enquirer, Examiner, Gazette, Herald, Independent, Journal, Leader, Ledger, Messenger, News, Observer, Pilot, Post, Press, Record, Register, Reporter, Republican, Review, Sentinel, Standard, Star, Sun, Telegraph, Times, Tribune, Union, Voice, and Weekly publications.
Last updated on November 27, 2025