State of the Union Archive » Readability Statistics

A database and analysis of historical State of the Union addresses.

by Ashutosh Kadakia

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The readability statistics are based on the Flesch-Kincaid test

President	Date	Flesch Kincaid Reading Grade Level	Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease	Average Words Per Sentence	Average Syllables Per Word	Total Words	Total Sentences
George Washington	January 8, 1790	23.91	4.01	45.13	1.86	1083	24
George Washington	December 8, 1790	19.35	20.40	35.97	1.77	1403	39
George Washington	October 25, 1791	21.44	10.90	39.03	1.85	2303	59
George Washington	November 6, 1792	18.98	19.29	33.84	1.81	2098	62
George Washington	December 3, 1793	19.39	19.70	35.73	1.78	1965	55
George Washington	November 19, 1794	20.33	15.86	37.37	1.81	2915	78
George Washington	December 8, 1795	21.22	10.96	38.19	1.86	1986	52
George Washington	December 7, 1796	19.64	17.31	35.40	1.82	2867	81
John Adams	November 22, 1797	19.30	18.77	34.86	1.80	2057	59
John Adams	December 8, 1798	20.73	14.57	38.24	1.81	2218	58
John Adams	December 3, 1799	22.53	8.01	41.81	1.85	1505	36
John Adams	November 11, 1800	19.37	17.30	34.30	1.83	1372	40
Thomas Jefferson	December 8, 1801	19.53	18.83	35.82	1.79	3224	90
Thomas Jefferson	December 15, 1802	18.44	25.07	34.94	1.73	2201	63
Thomas Jefferson	October 17, 1803	23.33	9.00	45.58	1.79	2279	50
Thomas Jefferson	November 8, 1804	20.81	17.80	40.40	1.75	2101	52
Thomas Jefferson	December 3, 1805	18.94	24.81	36.79	1.71	2943	80
Thomas Jefferson	December 2, 1806	19.47	20.96	36.77	1.76	2868	78
Thomas Jefferson	October 27, 1807	19.80	19.73	37.41	1.76	2394	64
Thomas Jefferson	November 8, 1808	19.50	19.10	35.84	1.79	2688	75
James Madison	November 29, 1809	23.62	7.24	45.78	1.81	1831	40
James Madison	December 5, 1810	20.98	12.71	38.22	1.84	2446	64
James Madison	November 5, 1811	24.63	4.67	48.40	1.81	2275	47
James Madison	November 4, 1812	19.86	17.54	36.43	1.80	3242	89
James Madison	December 7, 1813	23.47	8.50	45.89	1.79	3258	71
James Madison	September 20, 1814	21.75	14.44	42.28	1.77	2114	50
James Madison	December 5, 1815	26.16	-1.91	50.87	1.86	3154	62
James Madison	December 3, 1816	24.11	5.52	46.76	1.82	3367	72
James Monroe	December 12, 1817	18.25	24.87	34.05	1.74	4427	130
James Monroe	November 16, 1818	19.93	18.27	37.09	1.78	4377	118
James Monroe	December 7, 1819	18.50	25.06	35.16	1.73	4711	134
James Monroe	November 14, 1820	20.21	19.82	39.10	1.74	3441	88
James Monroe	December 3, 1821	18.34	25.33	34.66	1.73	5823	168
James Monroe	December 3, 1822	19.30	22.06	36.70	1.74	4734	129
James Monroe	December 2, 1823	17.35	26.36	31.28	1.76	6382	204
James Monroe	December 7, 1824	17.68	26.66	32.75	1.74	8417	257
John Quincy Adams	December 6, 1825	21.74	13.79	41.87	1.78	9003	215
John Quincy Adams	December 5, 1826	22.19	13.10	43.28	1.77	7748	179
John Quincy Adams	December 4, 1827	21.58	13.95	41.34	1.78	6987	169
John Quincy Adams	December 2, 1828	19.42	20.03	36.02	1.78	7313	203
Andrew Jackson	December 8, 1829	18.78	21.26	34.17	1.78	10524	308
Andrew Jackson	December 6, 1830	21.63	12.89	40.95	1.80	10892	266
Andrew Jackson	December 6, 1831	22.17	12.36	42.79	1.79	7189	168
Andrew Jackson	December 4, 1832	20.65	17.16	39.39	1.77	7877	200
Andrew Jackson	December 3, 1833	21.65	15.47	42.48	1.75	7901	186
Andrew Jackson	December 1, 1834	21.34	16.00	41.51	1.76	11001	265
Andrew Jackson	December 7, 1835	22.79	11.85	45.04	1.76	10809	240
Andrew Jackson	December 5, 1836	21.31	16.21	41.50	1.76	11039	266
Martin van Buren	December 5, 1837	21.33	14.07	40.39	1.79	10866	269
Martin van Buren	December 3, 1838	22.50	9.20	42.36	1.83	10718	253
Martin van Buren	December 2, 1839	20.36	17.15	38.20	1.78	10926	286
Martin van Buren	December 5, 1840	25.10	2.06	48.80	1.84	8979	184
John Tyler	December 7, 1841	20.40	18.00	38.87	1.77	8240	212
John Tyler	December 6, 1842	20.57	18.17	39.63	1.75	8401	212
John Tyler	December 1, 1843	21.33	15.07	40.95	1.78	8026	196
John Tyler	December 3, 1844	18.73	21.76	34.22	1.78	9308	272
James Polk	December 2, 1845	18.55	23.67	34.58	1.75	11032	319
James Polk	December 8, 1846	20.19	18.33	38.21	1.77	11080	290
James Polk	December 7, 1847	18.65	23.56	34.94	1.75	11111	318
James Polk	December 5, 1848	18.71	21.79	34.17	1.78	10866	318
Zachary Taylor	December 4, 1849	19.27	18.30	34.48	1.81	7619	221
Millard Fillmore	December 2, 1850	18.81	21.40	34.37	1.78	8318	242
Millard Fillmore	December 2, 1851	18.89	22.38	35.22	1.76	10953	311
Millard Fillmore	December 6, 1852	18.77	21.63	34.33	1.78	9922	289
Franklin Pierce	December 5, 1853	21.69	12.86	41.15	1.80	9587	233
Franklin Pierce	December 4, 1854	20.59	14.82	37.81	1.82	10134	268
Franklin Pierce	December 31, 1855	22.56	10.52	43.35	1.80	10794	249
Franklin Pierce	December 2, 1856	21.91	11.13	41.07	1.82	10473	255
James Buchanan	December 8, 1857	19.00	20.69	34.72	1.78	10903	314
James Buchanan	December 6, 1858	17.85	22.74	31.23	1.80	10867	348
James Buchanan	December 19, 1859	16.95	26.55	29.78	1.77	10959	368
James Buchanan	December 3, 1860	16.44	27.42	28.20	1.78	10913	387
Abraham Lincoln	December 3, 1861	17.43	25.32	31.01	1.77	6977	225
Abraham Lincoln	December 1, 1862	13.86	36.19	22.74	1.74	8392	369
Abraham Lincoln	December 8, 1863	16.17	27.30	27.04	1.80	6112	226
Abraham Lincoln	December 6, 1864	14.89	32.38	24.73	1.77	5862	237
Andrew Johnson	December 4, 1865	18.13	24.55	33.40	1.75	9218	276
Andrew Johnson	December 3, 1866	19.67	16.24	34.94	1.83	7128	204
Andrew Johnson	December 3, 1867	17.44	26.17	31.50	1.76	10994	349
Andrew Johnson	December 9, 1868	18.43	20.82	32.51	1.81	9817	302
Ulysses S. Grant	December 6, 1869	17.16	26.48	30.56	1.77	7702	252
Ulysses S. Grant	December 5, 1870	16.64	28.14	29.41	1.76	8736	297
Ulysses S. Grant	December 4, 1871	17.32	24.15	29.90	1.80	6458	216
Ulysses S. Grant	December 2, 1872	18.16	23.09	32.70	1.78	3989	122
Ulysses S. Grant	December 1, 1873	18.36	22.50	33.19	1.78	10022	302
Ulysses S. Grant	December 7, 1874	18.37	22.04	32.95	1.79	9194	279
Ulysses S. Grant	December 7, 1875	18.64	22.20	34.11	1.77	10916	320
Ulysses S. Grant	December 5, 1876	18.44	22.14	33.30	1.78	6793	204
Rutherford B. Hayes	December 3, 1877	18.91	19.72	33.83	1.81	8017	237
Rutherford B. Hayes	December 2, 1878	17.15	23.90	29.08	1.81	7881	271
Rutherford B. Hayes	December 1, 1879	18.88	18.75	33.17	1.83	10714	323
Rutherford B. Hayes	December 6, 1880	18.87	17.65	32.51	1.85	6697	206
Chester A. Arthur	December 6, 1881	15.75	25.50	24.34	1.85	3822	157
Chester A. Arthur	December 4, 1882	14.58	30.38	22.39	1.82	3067	137
Chester A. Arthur	December 4, 1883	13.48	33.00	19.41	1.82	3784	195
Chester A. Arthur	December 1, 1884	16.95	24.28	28.49	1.82	8947	314
Grover Cleveland	December 8, 1885	19.15	17.13	33.33	1.84	10599	318
Grover Cleveland	December 6, 1886	19.58	16.66	34.79	1.83	10611	305
Grover Cleveland	December 6, 1887	21.23	15.88	41.00	1.77	5289	129
Grover Cleveland	December 3, 1888	19.30	18.47	34.69	1.81	9020	260
Benjamin Harrison	December 3, 1889	16.39	27.47	28.04	1.78	10880	388
Benjamin Harrison	December 1, 1890	17.24	25.04	30.06	1.79	10823	360
Benjamin Harrison	December 9, 1891	18.14	24.87	33.59	1.75	11052	329
Benjamin Harrison	December 6, 1892	15.86	32.08	28.49	1.72	10942	384
Grover Cleveland	December 4, 1893	16.63	24.31	27.22	1.83	10451	384
Grover Cleveland	December 3, 1894	16.29	26.75	27.22	1.80	10617	390
Grover Cleveland	December 2, 1895	21.77	11.06	40.46	1.83	10600	262
Grover Cleveland	December 7, 1896	16.00	28.53	27.04	1.78	10655	394
William McKinley	December 6, 1897	17.74	23.77	31.40	1.79	10863	346
William McKinley	December 5, 1898	18.27	20.14	31.47	1.83	10699	340
William McKinley	December 5, 1899	18.60	18.86	32.10	1.84	10625	331
William McKinley	December 3, 1900	16.29	24.39	25.91	1.85	10468	404
Theodore Roosevelt	December 3, 1901	16.04	29.98	28.02	1.75	11010	393
Theodore Roosevelt	December 2, 1902	16.34	29.31	28.87	1.75	9757	338
Theodore Roosevelt	December 7, 1903	16.83	26.20	29.08	1.79	10816	372
Theodore Roosevelt	December 6, 1904	17.66	23.74	31.05	1.79	10807	348
Theodore Roosevelt	December 5, 1905	18.92	21.71	34.99	1.77	11127	318
Theodore Roosevelt	December 3, 1906	19.25	22.88	36.98	1.73	11241	304
Theodore Roosevelt	December 3, 1907	18.02	24.11	32.69	1.77	11049	338
Theodore Roosevelt	December 8, 1908	18.40	23.20	33.73	1.77	10962	325
William H. Taft	December 7, 1909	20.98	12.08	37.84	1.85	10709	283
William H. Taft	December 6, 1910	14.68	28.52	21.75	1.85	6763	311
William H. Taft	December 5, 1911	18.77	18.17	32.38	1.84	10653	329
William H. Taft	December 3, 1912	21.93	7.24	38.97	1.89	10482	269
Woodrow Wilson	December 2, 1913	17.20	29.82	32.59	1.70	3552	109
Woodrow Wilson	December 8, 1914	13.76	42.28	25.76	1.64	4533	176
Woodrow Wilson	December 7, 1915	17.79	27.79	33.86	1.71	7686	227
Woodrow Wilson	December 5, 1916	21.51	11.99	39.94	1.82	2117	53
Woodrow Wilson	December 4, 1917	14.93	38.53	28.36	1.65	3913	138
Woodrow Wilson	December 2, 1918	17.33	30.52	33.53	1.68	5465	163
Woodrow Wilson	December 2, 1919	16.97	25.70	29.35	1.79	4755	162
Woodrow Wilson	December 7, 1920	19.58	20.66	37.05	1.76	2705	73
Warren Harding	December 6, 1921	16.54	24.01	26.69	1.84	5604	210
Warren Harding	December 8, 1922	16.08	25.04	25.41	1.84	5743	226
Calvin Coolidge	December 6, 1923	13.23	32.82	18.31	1.84	6701	366
Calvin Coolidge	December 3, 1924	15.87	25.91	25.05	1.84	6964	278
Calvin Coolidge	December 8, 1925	14.73	29.52	22.52	1.83	10695	475
Calvin Coolidge	December 7, 1926	14.84	29.77	23.06	1.82	10308	447
Calvin Coolidge	December 6, 1927	13.54	32.55	19.42	1.83	8777	452
Calvin Coolidge	December 4, 1928	14.48	28.95	21.15	1.85	8060	381
Herbert Hoover	December 3, 1929	16.82	21.86	26.61	1.87	10406	391
Herbert Hoover	December 2, 1930	17.79	17.18	27.89	1.91	4546	163
Herbert Hoover	December 8, 1931	15.84	21.65	22.56	1.92	5686	252
Herbert Hoover	December 6, 1932	10.97	45.04	16.07	1.72	980	61
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 3, 1934	16.71	25.39	28.14	1.81	2223	79
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 4, 1935	15.39	28.85	24.75	1.81	3515	142
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 3, 1936	13.06	40.63	22.02	1.70	3810	173
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 6, 1937	15.77	26.59	25.05	1.83	2730	109
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 3, 1938	15.83	29.15	26.73	1.78	4677	175
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 4, 1939	13.84	34.30	21.60	1.78	3736	173
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 3, 1940	15.00	33.41	25.77	1.74	3170	123
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 6, 1941	13.19	39.56	21.92	1.71	3288	150
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 6, 1942	11.43	47.83	19.49	1.65	3470	178
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 7, 1943	12.80	43.09	22.33	1.67	4533	203
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 11, 1944	13.34	38.55	21.96	1.73	3755	171
Franklin D. Roosevelt	January 6, 1945	14.68	32.66	24.04	1.77	8124	338
Harry S. Truman	January 21, 1946	14.04	30.98	20.53	1.83	10636	518
Harry S. Truman	January 6, 1947	14.13	30.04	20.38	1.85	6033	296
Harry S. Truman	January 7, 1948	12.14	39.75	17.80	1.76	5091	286
Harry S. Truman	January 5, 1949	12.66	36.62	18.17	1.79	3397	187
Harry S. Truman	January 4, 1950	13.48	36.59	21.45	1.76	5126	239
Harry S. Truman	January 8, 1951	10.31	50.13	16.28	1.66	3988	245
Harry S. Truman	January 9, 1952	10.64	50.48	17.78	1.63	5334	300
Harry S. Truman	January 7, 1953	13.24	39.28	21.97	1.72	9599	437
Dwight D. Eisenhower	February 2, 1953	14.34	27.26	19.66	1.89	6941	353
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 7, 1954	14.76	25.92	20.58	1.89	5990	291
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 6, 1955	15.44	22.23	21.26	1.93	7250	341
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 5, 1956	15.20	24.83	21.75	1.89	8245	379
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 10, 1957	15.01	26.33	21.82	1.87	4145	190
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 9, 1958	13.48	31.94	18.81	1.84	4927	262
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 9, 1959	13.19	32.96	18.24	1.84	4889	268
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 7, 1960	14.82	27.49	21.72	1.86	5648	260
Dwight D. Eisenhower	January 12, 1961	16.10	19.25	22.26	1.95	6188	278
John F. Kennedy	January 30, 1961	15.09	31.10	24.82	1.78	5336	215
John F. Kennedy	January 11, 1962	14.55	32.16	23.23	1.79	6436	277
John F. Kennedy	January 14, 1963	13.34	39.94	22.75	1.70	5596	246
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 8, 1964	13.16	40.68	22.44	1.69	3187	142
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 4, 1965	10.92	47.19	17.10	1.68	4394	257
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 12, 1966	12.49	42.78	20.94	1.69	5255	251
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 10, 1967	12.04	42.78	19.12	1.71	7112	372
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 17, 1968	11.88	42.51	18.32	1.72	4855	265
Lyndon B. Johnson	January 14, 1969	11.67	45.44	19.10	1.68	4106	215
Richard Nixon	January 22, 1970	12.81	42.30	21.95	1.68	4455	203
Richard Nixon	January 22, 1971	13.25	40.32	22.60	1.70	4475	198
Richard Nixon	January 20, 1972	13.33	39.43	22.41	1.71	3967	177
Richard Nixon	February 2, 1973	15.95	29.82	27.58	1.76	1655	60
Richard Nixon	January 30, 1974	13.89	38.95	24.43	1.69	5154	211
Gerald R. Ford	January 15, 1975	12.66	36.21	17.92	1.80	4103	229
Gerald R. Ford	January 19, 1976	12.41	37.82	17.81	1.78	4951	278
Gerald R. Ford	January 12, 1977	14.18	31.33	21.28	1.82	4640	218
Jimmy Carter	January 19, 1978	11.78	43.09	18.25	1.72	4580	251
Jimmy Carter	January 25, 1979	13.09	37.09	20.14	1.76	3243	161
Jimmy Carter	January 21, 1980	12.97	38.29	20.34	1.75	3396	167
Jimmy Carter	January 16, 1981	17.12	15.49	24.22	1.97	9979	412
Ronald Reagan	January 26, 1982	12.51	39.75	19.31	1.74	5195	269
Ronald Reagan	January 25, 1983	13.00	38.06	20.34	1.75	5572	274
Ronald Reagan	January 25, 1984	11.17	43.55	16.04	1.74	4973	310
Ronald Reagan	February 6, 1985	11.82	42.26	17.93	1.73	4250	237
Ronald Reagan	February 4, 1986	11.52	45.50	18.56	1.68	3507	189
Ronald Reagan	January 27, 1987	11.17	45.90	17.37	1.69	3803	219
Ronald Reagan	January 25, 1988	12.52	40.86	19.98	1.72	4855	243
George H.W. Bush	February 9, 1989	10.54	49.12	16.65	1.66	4994	300
George H.W. Bush	January 31, 1990	9.88	51.40	15.26	1.65	3770	247
George H.W. Bush	January 29, 1991	10.79	44.73	15.18	1.73	3765	248
George H.W. Bush	January 28, 1992	9.45	54.98	15.52	1.61	4718	304
William J. Clinton	February 17, 1993	11.52	47.06	19.43	1.66	4158	214
William J. Clinton	January 25, 1994	11.54	47.30	19.63	1.65	7400	377
William J. Clinton	January 24, 1995	11.27	49.68	19.88	1.62	9143	460
William J. Clinton	January 23, 1996	11.02	46.60	17.17	1.69	6283	366
William J. Clinton	February 4, 1997	11.46	46.52	18.89	1.67	6742	357
William J. Clinton	January 27, 1998	12.07	43.56	19.68	1.69	7283	370
William J. Clinton	January 19, 1999	11.59	44.73	18.40	1.70	7472	406
William J. Clinton	January 27, 2000	11.73	42.31	17.59	1.73	7387	420
George W. Bush	February 27, 2001	10.07	51.84	16.26	1.64	4781	294
George W. Bush	January 29, 2002	10.43	44.63	13.68	1.75	3885	284
George W. Bush	January 28, 2003	10.44	45.97	14.45	1.73	5549	384
George W. Bush	January 20, 2004	10.55	46.75	15.36	1.71	5421	353
George W. Bush	February 2, 2005	12.91	39.28	20.67	1.73	5187	251
George W. Bush	January 31, 2006	12.56	39.01	19.10	1.75	5368	281