These states rank as the most charitable in America in 2025, analysis shows

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FILE-Volunteers sort donated food during a People's Pantry food drive for furloughed federal workers in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Giving back to your community can be accomplished in a variety of selfless acts, whether it's through a donation or volunteer work.

Regardless of the way individuals or groups choose to give back, helping others is the ultimate objective and certain regions of the country are recognized for their philanthropy, according to a new WalletHub report. 

WalletHub released its list of the most charitable states across the country, and researchers collected their data by comparing all 50 states using two key categories, volunteering and service and charitable giving. 

Most charitable states in the U.S. 

Dig deeper:

WalletHub assessed 50 states across 17 categories of charitable behavior, and each state was graded on a 100-point scale.

1. Wyoming
2. Utah
3. Maryland
4. Minnesota
5. Virginia
6. Colorado
7. Delaware
8. Maine
9. Pennsylvania
10. Oregon
11. Montana
12. Alaska
13. Connecticut
14. Washington
15. New York
16. Ohio
17. Iowa
18. Idaho
19. Georgia
20. Vermont

To see the full list of state rankings, click here. 

WalletHub’s analysis of the most charitable states

Wyoming

Wyoming ranks first as the most charitable state in part because residents spend an average of 29 hours annually volunteering, the fifth-most in the U.S. Wyoming also has the 14th-highest percentage of residents who volunteer, at 34%.

WalletHub found that state residents donate about 4% of their income on average, the highest percentage in the nation. And 40% of Wyoming’s population fundraises or sells goods to raise money for charity.

The state also has the second-most Feeding America food banks per capita, and it shelters more than 82% of the region’s homeless population. 

Utah

WalletHub ranks Utah as the second-most charitable state, with the highest volunteer rate at nearly 50% and the most volunteer hours per capita at more than 46 hours. More than 68% of residents in the state say they helped with tasks like house sitting, watching kids or lending tools at least once in the past year, according to the report. 

Furthermore, Utah residents donate about 3.5% of their income to charities, which is the second-most in the nation. And Utah also has the third-highest percentage of taxpayers who donate money to charity.

Maryland

According to WalletHub, Maryland is the third most charitable state in the nation with the highest percentage of taxpayers who donate money to charity, exceeding 16%. Residents donate about roughly 2% of their income, the seventh-most in the country. 

Maryland has the eighth-highest number of top-rated charities per capita, and the state also has the sixth-highest number of residents who collect, make, or distribute clothing for charitable purposes, while the area shelters about 83% of its homeless population.