Standard weekday circulation at 507 newspapers across the United States saw circulation numbers dive by 4.6 percent in the six-month period ending Sept. 30, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, Reuters reported Monday. Circulation numbers are falling at an accelerating rate, as the drop from September 2006 to 2007 was just 2.6 percent.

Daily circulation during the week at the 507 newspapers was at 38 million copies. Meanwhile, Sunday circulation for 571 titles was 4.9 percent lower than in 2007, amounting to 43.6 million copies. From September 2006 to 2007, the drop in circulation for Sunday editions was 3.5 percent.

The New York Times saw a 3.6 percent drop in weekday circulation and a 4.1 percent fall in Sunday circulation. At the Washington Post, the numbers plunged by 1.9 percent and by 3.2 percent for weekday and Sunday circulation, respectively, Reuters reported, citing ABC figures. The Boston Globe had a 10 percent weekday circulation decline, while that of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune was 4.3 percent. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution announced a 13.6 decrease.

The largest circulation drops were seen at papers distributed across larger cities, especially in regions where the housing economic turmoil is more obvious and where unemployment rates are higher, according to Reuters.

Papers that announced surges in circulation were from relatively smaller places. New Jersey's Trenton Times has a 5.3 percent rise in circulation. Papers like the Desert Morning News (Salt Lake City, Utah), the Baton Rouge Advocate (Louisiana) and the Colorado Springs Gazette had a circulation growth of 2 percent or less since 2007, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, national newspapers USA Today and The Wall Street Journal saw practically no change in circulation since last year.

The figures represent copies that are paid for and not those sold in bulk or for a low-cost price.