The last weeks of every year are ceremoniously devoted to thinking about others—wrapping gifts, donating to charity, and volunteering time to those in need. This year is no different, especially considering the destruction on the East Coast caused by Hurricane Sandy.
In honor of the start of the season, The Daily Beast combed available statistics to calculate which cities have given the most in previous years, in terms of donations to charity and volunteerism. We considered four data points: the volunteer rate and average annual volunteer hours per resident according to the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the median amount of charitable contributions and percent of income donated to charity according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. All factors were weighted equally.
Volunteer rate: 26.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: 40.2
Median charitable contribution: $2,445
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.60%
Volunteer rate: 20.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $2,977
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.00%
Nick Nicholson / Getty Images
Volunteer rate: 23.8%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $2,758
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.70%
Jonathan Bachman / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 32.6%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $2,047
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 3.90%
Hunter Martin / Getty Images
Volunteer rate: 36.6%
Volunteer hours per resident: 39.2
Median charitable contribution: $2,269
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.20%
AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 26.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $2,466
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.70%
Matt Slocum / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 26.6%
Volunteer hours per resident: 28.2
Median charitable contribution: $3,162
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.80%
Chuck Burton / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 24.8%
Volunteer hours per resident: 34.2
Median charitable contribution: $3,332
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.00%
Kenny Haner / Getty Images
Volunteer rate: 25.1%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $2,768
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.80%
Steve Helber / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 29.2%
Volunteer hours per resident: 41.1
Median charitable contribution: $2,632
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.60%
Michael Conroy / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 28.1%
Volunteer hours per resident: 44.0
Median charitable contribution: $2,518
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.50%
Getty Images
Volunteer rate: 36.1%
Volunteer hours per resident: 46.4
Median charitable contribution: $2,289
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 3.90%
Jim Bryant / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 28.6%
Volunteer hours per resident: 50.0
Median charitable contribution: $2,334
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.10%
Chris O'Meara / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 27.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: 40.6
Median charitable contribution: $2,738
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.20%
Steve Helber / AP Photo
Volunteer rate: 24.1%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $3,078
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.20%
Guido Cozzi / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 29.0%
Volunteer hours per resident: 36.7
Median charitable contribution: $3,394
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.30%
Wes Thompson / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 33.6%
Volunteer hours per resident: 35.5
Median charitable contribution: $3,094
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.50%
Jeff Albertson / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 30.8%
Volunteer hours per resident: 46.2
Median charitable contribution: $2,683
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.80%
Richard T. Nowitz / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 38.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: 53.3
Median charitable contribution: $2,171
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 4.40%
Craig Tuttle / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 30.9%
Volunteer hours per resident: 44.5
Median charitable contribution: $3,006
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.50%
Charles Smith / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 27.0%
Volunteer hours per resident: 42.0
Median charitable contribution: $3,286
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 5.90%
Bob Krist / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 32.7%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $3,568
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 6.00%
Henryk Sadura / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 27.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $4,035
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 7.20%
Raymond Gehman / Corbis
Volunteer rate: 28.2%
Volunteer hours per resident: n/a
Median charitable contribution: $4,045
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 7.10%
Kevin Fleming
Volunteer rate: 35.3%
Volunteer hours per resident: 66.4
Median charitable contribution: $4,340
Median percent of discretionary income contributed to charity: 9.00%
Richard Cummins / Corbis
