You can’t tell a book by its cover — but you can tell how smart a person is by how many they own.
A new study from the Australian National University and the University of Nevada discovered which countries’ households own the most books. Researchers say that having more books growing up, even if you don’t read them, improves educational outcomes.
The study, published earlier this month in the journal Social Science Research, found that at age 16, strong correlations between the number of books owned and later-in-life literacy, math and IT skills, The Guardian reported.
Estonians came in first, owning an average of 218 books per house. A hefty 25 percent of households there owned more than 350 books. Norway came in second with an average of 212 books per house.
The US came in 11th with an average of 114 books per house, just under the world average of 115. The largest group of households, 32 percent, own only 65 books.
One in five American households own only 5 books.
Growing up around books promotes a foundation of “scholarly culture,” head study author Dr. Joanna Sikora told the outlet.
