Since its inception in 2010, the Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index has consistently ranked the United States among the top 10 most charitable countries in the world. It’s easy to see why: from donating money, food, clothing, and more to volunteering time to help neighbors and strangers alike, the charitable spirit has always been a deep-rooted part of American culture.
Since the United States has historically been a notably philanthropic country, our team at Harmony and Healing collected and analyzed data from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to determine where the most charitable people live in the country.
Methodology
Using the most recent tax return data from the IRS, we analyzed charitable contribution and income figures to calculate the average contribution per tax return in each county, as well as percentage of each county’s income donated to charities, to identify the most charitable counties in the United States.
Charitable contributions in this analysis reflect amounts taxpayers reported on Schedule A, which includes cash and noncash gifts to qualified organizations. Averages are computed by dividing each county’s total contributions by the total number of returns filed. The share of income donated uses county-level adjusted gross income from IRS Statistics of Income for Tax Year 2021. Noncash gifts cover items like clothing, household goods, and appreciated property, which may require Form 8283.
IRS Statistics of Income county figures are produced from stratified samples and are estimates subject to sampling error. Donations not claimed on tax returns, including gifts by non-itemizers, are not captured in Schedule A totals. County assignments reflect the mailing address reported on the return, mapped from ZIP code to county.
Connecticut planning regions, such as the Western Connecticut Planning Region, are recognized by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as county-equivalents for federal statistical reporting.
The Top 5 Most Charitable Counties in the Nation
1. Benton County, Arkansas – Benton County in Arkansas is the most charitable county in the United States, with a total charitable contribution equaling 15.56 percent of the county’s total income. Of the 133,860 returns filed in Benton County, the average contribution per return was $29.41. This average is nearly double that of the next most charitable county, placing Benton County’s total contribution at $3,936,911. These figures led us to ask ourselves, “Why this county?” Walmart’s corporate headquarters is in Bentonville, Benton County, and it’s the largest employer in the area. The company and the Walmart Foundation demonstrate significant regional charitable leadership through various initiatives and substantial donations. For example, in 2024 alone, they committed up to $2 million for storm relief efforts in Northwest Arkansas.
The region also benefits from other major employers with strong charitable programs:
- J.B. Hunt Transport Services, the second-largest employer in the county, has a structured corporate giving program.
- Tyson Foods has demonstrated significant charitable contributions, including a commitment of 110,000 pounds of protein to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
The presence of these major corporations, notably Walmart’s headquarters, creates a corporate philanthropy culture and provides the economic foundation that enables residents to be more charitable.
2. New York County, New York – After Benton County, there is New York County in New York, or as it is more commonly known, Manhattan. New York County’s total charitable contribution equaled 5.09 percent of the county’s total income or an average of $15.81 per return filed out of 842,290 returns. Overall, the county’s total charitable contributions beat out Benton County at $13,315,088 due to the greater population.
3. San Mateo County, California – The title of the third most charitable county belongs to San Mateo County, California. For the 2021 tax year, San Mateo residents filed 375,020 returns with an average of $10.52 per return or a total of $3,946,683. These contributions make up 3.41 percent of the county’s total income.
4. San Francisco County, California – Yet another California-based county comes fourth with 3.19 percent of the county’s total income put toward charitable contributions. This percentage translates to an average contribution of $8.09 for each of San Francisco County’s 441,650 returns filed or $3,572,566.
5. Marin County, California – Completing a trifecta of Californian counties, the fifth most charitable county is Marin County. The average charitable contribution on this county’s 130,330 tax returns is $7.91 for a total contribution of $1,030,459, or 2.7 percent of the county’s income.
Non-monetary Ways to Give
Since not everyone can afford monetary donations, let’s explore a variety of ways you can give back without breaking the bank. We’ve compiled some of our favorite ways you can use your time, effort, and other resources to improve your community and the lives of others.
- Donate food to local food banks. Many food banks are happy to take non-perishable items like pasta, canned goods, rice, cooking sprays and oils, and herbs and spices. Personal hygiene products like deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toilet paper, laundry detergent, diapers and wipes, razors, and shampoo and conditioner are also usually accepted. Try contacting your local food bank beforehand to see what items they especially need at the moment.
- Donate clothing and other items. Try sorting through your clothes to find items you no longer want or wear. Clothing selected for donation should be in good condition, clean, and free from holes, stains, or wear and tear. Goodwill has a comprehensive list of items that are good for donation versus items that are not.
- Volunteer at local shelters. You can search for shelters in your area and ask them if they could use extra hands to help with anything they need.
- Help taxpayers with free tax prep. Volunteer with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs to help eligible neighbors file accurate returns at no cost. Training is provided and roles include greeters, interpreters, and preparers. Sites operate seasonally and year-round, depending on the community.
- Help local animal shelters. Animal shelters often rely on volunteers for tasks employees cannot get to. Frequently, this involves the enrichment of the lives of their animals in the forms of play and walks because the employees usually have their hands full with feeding, dispensing medicine and medical care, bathing, cleaning, performing administrative tasks, and any other daily operations to keep things running smoothly.
- Write a letter to a veteran. Programs like A Million Thanks send out letters to military veterans. It is a nice gesture to give your thanks for their service and make someone feel a little more appreciated.
- Send a card for Christmas. Some people may not have or be able to see family and friends for the holidays. Programs like The Angel Card Project set out to make sure everyone can receive something thoughtful for Christmas.
- Donate blood or plasma. Blood and plasma donations are simple and safe procedures that can help save lives. Donations have limitations based on weight, height, age, frequency, medications, and medical history, so it may not be feasible for everyone. In return, many donors may receive a monetary reward for their donation.
- Join the bone marrow registry. Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program, lets adults, typically ages 18 to 40, join with a simple cheek swab. Matches can provide lifesaving marrow or blood stem cells for patients with blood cancers. Most donations are outpatient procedures using peripheral blood stem cells.
- Request a musical visit for a patient. Music is the universal language of healing. Through Harmony and Healing, you can request private and free musical visits over Zoom for a hospital or hospice patient. If you are a professional musician, you can apply here to be a participating artist.
- Find local opportunities. Use VolunteerMatch.org to search vetted roles by cause, location, and time commitment. Many listings include virtual options if travel is a barrier. Create a profile to save searches and receive alerts.
- Support national parks. The National Park Service’s Volunteers-In-Parks program offers roles in conservation, visitor services, and maintenance across parks nationwide. Projects range from single-day events to recurring assignments. Volunteers log hours that can qualify for recognition awards.
And if you have the means, you can donate here to make a musical visit possible for a patient and their loved ones.
The 50 Most Charitable Counties Ranked by Average Charitable Contribution per Tax Return
Note, the District of Columbia and consolidated city-counties are included as county-equivalents. County seats reflect local naming, and state abbreviations follow USPS standards. Examples include San Francisco, where the city and county are coextensive.
| Rank | County/City | State | County Seat | Number of Returns Filed | Total Charitable Contributions | Average Charitable Contribution Per Return | Total Charitable Contributions as a Percentage of County’s Total Income |
| 1 | Benton County | AR | Bentonville | 133,860 | $3,936,911 | $29.41 | 15.56% |
| 2 | New York County | NY | Manhattan, New York City | 842,290 | $13,315,088 | $15.81 | 5.09% |
| 3 | San Mateo County | CA | Redwood City | 375,020 | $3,946,683 | $10.52 | 3.41% |
| 4 | San Francisco County | CA | San Francisco | 441,650 | $3,572,566 | $8.09 | 3.19% |
| 5 | Marin County | CA | San Rafael | 130,330 | $1,030,459 | $7.91 | 2.70% |
| 6 | Santa Clara County | CA | San Jose | 926,570 | $7,127,131 | $7.69 | 3.15% |
| 7 | Collier County | FL | Naples | 203,100 | $1,389,541 | $6.84 | 2.82% |
| 8 | Albemarle County | VA | Charlottesville | 53,600 | $355,839 | $6.64 | 3.31% |
| 9 | Western Connecticut Planning Region | CT | Stamford | 312,090 | $1,970,660 | $6.31 | 2.22% |
| 10 | Suffolk County | MA | Boston | 389,170 | $2,214,229 | $5.69 | 3.84% |
| 11 | Martin County | FL | Stuart | 82,280 | $434,840 | $5.28 | 2.95% |
| 12 | Utah County | UT | Provo | 278,160 | $1,396,910 | $5.02 | 5.18% |
| 13 | Rockland County | NY | New City | 151,860 | $751,702 | $4.95 | 4.49% |
| 14 | Williamson County | TN | Franklin | 116,790 | $569,164 | $4.87 | 2.33% |
| 15 | Fulton County | GA | Atlanta | 511,520 | $2,402,240 | $4.70 | 2.79% |
| 16 | Palm Beach County | FL | West Palm Beach | 758,420 | $3,544,050 | $4.67 | 2.69% |
| 17 | King County | WA | Seattle | 1,140,760 | $5,187,954 | $4.55 | 2.51% |
| 18 | St. Joseph County | IN | South Bend | 129,190 | $532,067 | $4.12 | 5.24% |
| 19 | Davis County | UT | Farmington | 160,210 | $633,044 | $3.95 | 3.97% |
| 20 | Middlesex County | MA | Lowell | 814,590 | $3,171,490 | $3.89 | 2.31% |
| 21 | Westchester County | NY | White Plains | 498,990 | $1,913,233 | $3.83 | 1.86% |
| 22 | Boulder County | CO | Boulder | 164,650 | $623,960 | $3.79 | 2.45% |
| 23 | Sarasota County | FL | Sarasota | 231,400 | $871,169 | $3.76 | 2.56% |
| 24 | Travis County | TX | Austin | 629,160 | $2,274,730 | $3.62 | 2.24% |
| 25 | Indian River County | FL | Vero Beach | 84,630 | $299,617 | $3.54 | 2.20% |
| 26 | Fairfax County | VA | Fairfax | 563,560 | $1,898,889 | $3.37 | 2.13% |
| 27 | Norfolk County | MA | Dedham | 368,910 | $1,229,416 | $3.33 | 1.77% |
| 28 | Jefferson County | AL | Birmingham | 293,490 | $969,525 | $3.30 | 1.49% |
| 29 | Douglas County | NE | Omaha | 280,760 | $924,830 | $3.29 | 3.18% |
| 30 | Washington County | UT | St. George | 86,600 | $278,995 | $3.22 | 3.53% |
| 31 | Cass County | ND | Fargo | 93,410 | $288,800 | $3.09 | 2.75% |
| 32 | Saratoga County | NY | Ballston Spa | 122,680 | $375,463 | $3.06 | 2.52% |
| 33 | Cache County | UT | Logan | 56,790 | $173,270 | $3.05 | 3.78% |
| 34 | Shelby County | AL | Columbiana | 102,150 | $306,757 | $3.00 | 2.86% |
| 35 | Hunterdon County | NJ | Flemington | 66,430 | $196,634 | $2.96 | 1.84% |
| 36 | Madison County | MS | Canton | 51,400 | $152,111 | $2.96 | 2.76% |
| 37 | Albany County | NY | Albany | 155,530 | $459,639 | $2.96 | 2.64% |
| 38 | Salt Lake County | UT | Salt Lake City | 560,660 | $1,632,486 | $2.91 | 2.97% |
| 39 | Midland County | TX | Midland | 79,830 | $231,827 | $2.90 | 2.32% |
| 40 | Washington County | OR | Hillsboro | 295,520 | $856,170 | $2.90 | 2.66% |
| 41 | Montgomery County | MD | Rockville | 534,520 | $1,547,412 | $2.89 | 2.02% |
| 42 | Lake County | IL | Waukegan | 345,330 | $987,349 | $2.86 | 1.74% |
| 43 | District of Columbia | DC | Washington, D.C. | 346,130 | $985,896 | $2.85 | 2.13% |
| 44 | Santa Barbara County | CA | Santa Barbara | 209,270 | $589,535 | $2.82 | 2.46% |
| 45 | Fayette County | GA | Fayetteville | 58,080 | $162,776 | $2.80 | 2.42% |
| 46 | St. Louis County | MO | Clayton | 495,050 | $1,332,014 | $2.69 | 2.20% |
| 47 | Montgomery County | PA | Norristown | 436,900 | $1,140,005 | $2.61 | 1.80% |
| 48 | Tulsa County | OK | Tulsa | 299,240 | $779,808 | $2.61 | 3.09% |
| 49 | Hamilton County | IN | Noblesville | 173,580 | $451,938 | $2.60 | 1.78% |
| 50 | Washoe County | NV | Reno | 251,360 | $652,878 | $2.60 | 1.99% |
The 25 Most Populous U.S. Counties Ranked by Average Charitable Contribution Per Tax Return
Population Rank is based on the U.S. Census Bureau county population estimates cited in Sources. Ranks use the most recent release of that dataset, and county definitions follow the Census county-equivalent list.
| Rank | Population Rank | County | State | County Seat | Number of Returns Riled | Total Charitable Contributions | Average Charitable Contribution Per Tax Return | Total Charitable Contributions as a Percentage of County’s Total Income |
| 1 | 22 | New York County | NY | Manhattan, New York City | 842,290 | $13,315,088 | $15.81 | 5.09% |
| 2 | 18 | Santa Clara County | CA | San Jose | 926,570 | $7,127,131 | $7.69 | 3.15% |
| 3 | 12 | King County | WA | Seattle | 1,140,760 | $5,187,954 | $4.55 | 2.51% |
| 4 | 20 | Middlesex County | MA | Lowell and Cambridge | 814,590 | $3,171,490 | $3.89 | 2.31% |
| 5 | 8 | Dallas County | TX | Dallas | 1,217,720 | $3,154,220 | $2.59 | 2.55% |
| 6 | 3 | Harris County | TX | Houston | 2,126,580 | $5,158,808 | $2.43 | 2.62% |
| 7 | 6 | Orange County | CA | Santa Ana | 1,573,660 | $3,681,882 | $2.34 | 1.93% |
| 8 | 21 | Alameda County | CA | Oakland | 788,680 | $1,676,222 | $2.13 | 1.44% |
| 9 | 2 | Cook County | IL | Chicago | 2,514,730 | $5,240,444 | $2.08 | 1.98% |
| 10 | 1 | Los Angeles County | CA | Los Angeles | 4,799,060 | $9,622,375 | $2.01 | 1.98% |
| 11 | 5 | San Diego County | CA | San Diego | 1,662,440 | $3,008,627 | $1.81 | 1.71% |
| 12 | 9 | Kings County | NY | Brooklyn, New York City | 1,247,270 | $2,215,751 | $1.78 | 2.16% |
| 13 | 15 | Tarrant County | TX | Fort Worth | 1,002,270 | $1,672,910 | $1.67 | 1.86% |
| 14 | 7 | Miami-Dade County | FL | Miami | 1,389,090 | $2,283,866 | $1.64 | 1.64% |
| 15 | 4 | Maricopa County | AZ | Phoenix | 2,106,950 | $3,154,343 | $1.50 | 1.58% |
| 16 | 11 | Clark County | NV | Las Vegas | 1,137,430 | $1,593,089 | $1.40 | 1.57% |
| 17 | 16 | Bexar County | TX | San Antonio | 945,010 | $1,175,821 | $1.24 | 1.70% |
| 18 | 17 | Broward County | FL | Fort Lauderdale | 986,460 | $1,212,792 | $1.23 | 1.36% |
| 19 | 25 | Hillsborough County | FL | Tampa | 728,730 | $771,694 | $1.06 | 1.24% |
| 20 | 23 | Sacramento County | CA | Sacramento | 747,360 | $722,768 | $0.97 | 1.21% |
| 21 | 24 | Philadelphia County | PA | Philadelphia | 717,630 | $683,187 | $0.95 | 1.47% |
| 22 | 10 | Riverside County | CA | Riverside | 1,131,670 | $1,054,130 | $0.93 | 1.32% |
| 23 | 14 | San Bernardino County | CA | San Bernardino | 1,011,520 | $844,823 | $0.84 | 1.30% |
| 24 | 19 | Wayne County | MI | Detroit | 815,980 | $629,050 | $0.77 | 1.20% |
| 25 | 13 | Queens County | NY | Queens, New York City | 1,195,650 | $673,631 | $0.56 | 0.91% |
Sources:
https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-county-data
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html
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