How Charitable is Your State?

By Aaron Earls

Once again, Utah has been named the most charitable state.

Wallet Hub, a financial information site, analyzed data from the World Giving Index to identify the most (and least) giving states in the country.

While the U.S. slipped in the global rankings—down to fifth in 2017 from second in 2016—Utah maintained the top spot among U.S. states.

The Mormon-heavy Western state has the highest volunteer rate and highest percentage of population who donated time. It is also tied for the highest percentage of donated income, and the highest percentage of the population who donate money.

Wallet Hub combined 14 indicators of charitable behavior into two main categories—charitable giving and volunteering and service. Utah ranked first in giving and seventh in service.

South Dakota was tops for volunteering and service, but 37^th in charitable giving.

On the other end of the spectrum from Utah is Hawaii, rated as the least charitable state. It was 48^th in volunteering and service and 44^th in charitable giving.

Rhode Island (49^th overall) finished last in volunteering and service, while Arizona (46^th overall) was at the bottom for charitable giving.

The full ranking of the most charitable states in America:

1. Utah
2. Maryland
3. Minnesota
4. Wyoming
5. Wisconsin
6. Washington
7. Virginia
8. South Dakota
9. Georgia
10. Oklahoma
11. Connecticut
12. Kansas
13. New Hampshire
14. Oregon
15. New York
16. Ohio
17. North Dakota
18. Missouri
19. South Carolina
20. Nebraska
21. Tennessee
22. Delaware
23. Idaho
24. Pennsylvania
25. Arkansas
26. Colorado
27. Maine
28. North Carolina
29. Illinois
30. Alabama
31. New Jersey
32. Iowa
33. Vermont
34. Alaska
35. Massachusetts
36. West Virginia
37. Mississippi
38. Indiana
39. Michigan
40. New Mexico
41. Kentucky
42. Montana
43. California
44. Florida
45. Texas
46. Arizona
47. Louisiana
48. Nevada
49. Rhode Island
50. Hawaii

Factors like region of the country, statewide wealth, and religious devotion do not seem to be good predictors of a state’s placement on the list.

While Utah tops the list as a Western state, Nevada (48^th) is close to the bottom. Virginia (7^th) and Georgia (9^th) rank as top 10 Southern states, but Texas (45^th) and Louisiana (47^th) fall in the bottom 10.

Oklahoma is 40^th in terms of state wealth, but the 10^th most charitable. As the most charitable state, Utah ranks as the 21^st wealthiest. New Jersey is the richest state, but the 31^st most charitable. The least charitable state, Hawaii, is the 11^th wealthiest.

Gallup found Mississippi to be the most religious state, but Mississippi is only the 37^th most charitable. The least religious state, Vermont, finds itself a few spots higher on the charitable list—33^rd.

Utah, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Georgia are the only states in the top 10 of the most charitable and most religious states.

AARON EARLS (@WardrobeDoor) is online editor of Facts & Trends.