> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • An Update for Readers on Our New Nonprofit Status
Sign In
  • Latest
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
  • Latest
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
  • Latest
  • Advice
  • Opinion
  • Webinars
  • Data
  • Grants
  • Magazine
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
    • Featured Products
    • Data
    • Reports
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Webinars
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
News
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

How America Gives Data: Leaders and Laggards, Giving Opportunities, and More

By  Tyler Davis, 
Drew Lindsay,  and  Brian O’Leary
October 2, 2017

How America Gives is an analysis of the giving patterns of Americans. The full report includes methodology, coverage of the findings, and field reports from various parts of the country here. Much of it is available only to Chronicle subscribers.

Here we examine giving by taxpayers who make more than $50,000 a year in adjusted gross income and itemize deductions on their income-tax returns. The analysis below divides these taxpayers into four income groups: those who earn $50,000 to $74,999; $75,000 to $99,999; $100,000 to $199,999; and $200,000 and more.

We’re sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network. Please make sure your computer, VPN, or network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from v144.philanthropy.com and chronicle.blueconic.net.

Once javascript and access to those URLs are allowed, please refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

How America Gives is an analysis of the giving patterns of Americans. The full report includes methodology, coverage of the findings, and field reports from various parts of the country here. Much of it is available only to Chronicle subscribers.

Here we examine giving by taxpayers who make more than $50,000 a year in adjusted gross income and itemize deductions on their income-tax returns. The analysis below divides these taxpayers into four income groups: those who earn $50,000 to $74,999; $75,000 to $99,999; $100,000 to $199,999; and $200,000 and more.

The Growing Influence of the Affluent

In 2015, the top income earners (those making $200,000 or more annually) accounted for more than half of all itemized contributions in the country. This map shows how their share of total itemized giving in each state changed from 2012 through 2015. Put your cursor over a state for details.

Change in percentage points
DecreasedIncreased
  • -3
  • -1
  • +1
  • +3
  • +5
  • +7
AK
VT
NH
MA
ME
WA
MT
ND
SD
MN
WI
MI
NY
CT
RI
OR
ID
WY
NE
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CA
NV
UT
CO
KS
MO
KY
WV
DC
MD
DE
AZ
NM
OK
AR
TN
VA
NC
TX
LA
MS
AL
GA
SC
HI
FL
$200,000+ income itemizers gave 0% of all California giving, 0 percentage points from 2012. The portion of all givers in this income bracket is 0 percentage points while the giving per itemizer is 0.
ADVERTISEMENT

Leaders and Laggards in Giving by Income

We divided the 381 metro areas into four groups based on population size; click the numbered boxes to display data for each group.

The color of a metro’s dot on the map reflects whether that metro’s overall 2015 giving rate outpaced or fell short of the group average. The charts show whether the giving rates for taxpayers at four income levels in that metro area fell above or below the average for the size group.

All itemizers ($50k+)
  • All itemizers ($50k+)
  • Itemizers earning $200k or more
  • Itemizers earning $100k to $200k
  • Itemizers earning $75k to $100k
  • Itemizers earning $50k to $75k
Compared to metro size group
  • Compared to metro size group
  • Compared to state giving ratio

METRO SIZE GROUPSLargest to smallest

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4

Who Has the Biggest Giving Opportunity?

ADVERTISEMENT

This chart illustrates the dollars that could be raised in each metropolitan area if charitable giving were lifted to the national average at each income level. Sort by column header. Note: In metro areas where taxpayers in each of the four ranges are giving at or above the national rate, there will be no giving opportunity.

All itemizers ($50k+)
  • All itemizers ($50k+)
  • Itemizers earning $200k or more
  • Itemizers earning $100k to $200k
  • Itemizers earning $75k to $100k
  • Itemizers earning $50k to $75k
Compared to metro size group
  • Compared to metro size group
  • Compared to state giving ratio

METRO SIZE GROUPSLargest to smallest

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Metro
Total Giving
Giving Opportunity

Find Your Peers in Giving

Filter to show which metro areas have similar giving characteristics.

Population
Giving ratio
Giving vs. metro group
Average giving per itemizer

METRO SIZE GROUPSLargest to smallest

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
ADVERTISEMENT

Tap Into the Giving Data in Your Area

See average giving rates and the giving opportunity for more than 3,100 counties, 381 metro areas, and all 50 states. Search for a county or metropolitan area, or sort metro areas by size. Click a row to view additional data, including a breakdown of giving by income.

Note: Though some metro areas have overall giving rates higher than the national average, they may still have giving opportunities because at least one income group lags the average for that group nationally.

  • States
  • Metros
  • Counties
All states
  • All states
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Methodology

ADVERTISEMENT

How America Gives is an analysis of the giving patterns of Americans who earn $50,000 or more annually and who itemize charitable deductions on their income-tax returns. The itemized giving of these taxpayers represents nearly 80 percent of all individual charitable contributions and offers the best possible view into giving at local and regional levels.

The Chronicle analysis examines giving in states, metropolitan areas, and counties based on the itemized tax returns. The key measure is the giving ratio: This is the total of a locality’s charitable contributions as a share of its total adjusted gross income. For instance, if itemizing taxpayers in a given area earned on average $100,000 and gave away $3,000, that area’s giving ratio would be 3 percent.

Within each state, metro area, or county, we also determine the giving ratio for people who itemize in each of four income groups: $50,000 to $74,999; $75,000 to $99,999; $100,000 to $199,999; and $200,000 and more.

To compare giving in metro regions across the country, we divided them into four groups based on population. We then established two benchmarks in each income group: The average giving ratio in its population group and the state’s giving ratio.

Using these benchmarks, we project an area’s “giving opportunity” — how much that community would donate to charity if all its income groups were giving at the benchmark levels. New York, for example, could see another $2 billion in giving.

ADVERTISEMENT

We do not project the giving opportunity for any income groups that are giving at or beyond the benchmark average.

When projecting the giving opportunity for counties, we compare the county’s giving ratio against the state’s giving ratio.

Limits of the Data

We have consulted with tax experts to strengthen the study, but itemized data offer a less-than-perfect portrait of giving. People who give generously don’t necessarily itemize. For example, if they don’t own a home or they live in a state with no income tax or they don’t have high medical bills, they might not qualify to itemize.

Nor does our analysis take into account how varying costs of living or state and local taxes might affect giving. San Francisco taxpayers making $100,000 a year may have less discretionary income from which to make donations than their counterparts in Rome, Ga., for example.

ADVERTISEMENT

Also, readers should know that the share of taxpayers who itemize can vary significantly. In states with low or no income tax, for instance, fewer individuals take deductions. That doesn’t necessarily mean their residents are stingier than peers in other states.

Generally, the proportion of itemizers increases as income level rises. Among taxpayers earning $50,000 to $70,000 in 2015, only about 40 percent took deductions. But 93 percent of taxpayers who made more than $200,000 a year filed an itemized return.

A version of this article appeared in the October 3, 2017, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Data & Research
Drew Lindsay
Drew is a longtime magazine writer and editor who joined the Chronicle of Philanthropy in 2014.
  • Explore
    • Latest Articles
    • Get Newsletters
    • Advice
    • Webinars
    • Data & Research
    • Magazine
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    Explore
    • Latest Articles
    • Get Newsletters
    • Advice
    • Webinars
    • Data & Research
    • Magazine
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Work at the Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Gift-Acceptance Policy
    • Site Map
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Work at the Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Gift-Acceptance Policy
    • Site Map
    • DEI Commitment Statement
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Organizational Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Organizational Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Philanthropy
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • pinterest
  • facebook
  • linkedin