Perhaps the biggest myth about the alternative press is that it is read by and focused on young, pierced and tattooed 20-somethings. In fact in many of the nation's larger cities, alternative weeklies have an audience primarily in their 30s and even their 40s, according to surveys by media research companies.1 [1] Their readers are relatively well educated and many have high incomes. In Texas, The Austin Chronicle's readership has a median age of 38. More than 67 percent of the readers have graduated from college and the median annual household income is $55,000, the data show. The Miami New Times' readership has a median age of 41 and a median household income of more than $47,000.2 [2] Below, the 10 largest cities in America and demographic statistics on their alternative weeklies:
Alternative Weeklies and Demographics for Select U.S. Cities
| City | Publication | Median Age | Median Income | College Graduate Rate |
| New York | Village Voice | 35 | $50,000 | 57% |
| New York Press | 37 | 64,079 | 51 | |
| Los Angeles | LA Weekly | 38 | 66,000 | 31 |
| OC Weekly | 37 | 73,000 | 35 | |
| Chicago | Chicago Reader | N/A | 57,000 | 71 |
| Chicago Newcity | N/A | 51,241 | 57 | |
| Houston | Houston Press | 39 | 72,000 | 41 |
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia Weekly | 35 | 61,444 | 42 |
| Philadelphia City Paper | 36 | 52,000 | 46 | |
| Phoenix | Phoenix New Times | 37 | 56,375 | 35 |
| San Diego | San Diego City Beat | 42 | 53,725 | 27 |
| San Diego Reader | 41 | 59,586 | 29 | |
| Dallas | Dallas Observer | 41 | 45,090 | 32 |
| San Antonio | San Antonio Current | 37 | 55,858 | 30 |
| Detroit | Metro Times | 36 | 55,964 | 38 |
Source: Association of Alternative Newsweeklies, directory pages, www.aan.org [3]
Why are these readers attracted to alternative weeklies, other than their being free? First, the publications generally offer a more comprehensive section of event listings than their mainstream competitors. And the advertising in the alternative weeklies often serves as a second type of events listing. Local clubs, theaters and galleries advertise in the weeklies about events because the alternative weeklies offer a cheaper advertising medium than metro dailies. Not to mention the personal listings that appear in these publications, which are often more eccentric than those that appear in the mainstream press.
Second, the content of the weeklies often delves into areas that the mainstream dailies avoid or do not cover extensively - from city politics to government to entertainment. In Washington, for example, the City Paper devotes a lengthy weekly column, "Loose Lips," to the city's vibrant local political scene. A column in December looked at a behind-the-scenes battle over a city smoking ban, a dispute between the mayor and a former City Council member over waterfront development and the amount a fired city employee received in a settlement.
But why specific readers pick up their weekly alternative paper varies with the style of the tabloid. And there are many styles.