Wyoming Tops the Nation in Generosity Again, But Are We Surprised?

Wyomingites have long been known to be some of the most charitable people in the country, but for the second consecutive year, the Cowboy State is coming out on top.

With the state of the current economy and with the government still being shutdown (plus, the both the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons upon us), our neighbors might need us now more than ever before.

A recent study conducted by personal finance website, WalletHub, listed the "Most Charitable States in America" and Wyoming is holding down the top spot for year number two.

The study states:

In the spirit of inspiring altruism, WalletHub determined the most charitable of the 50 states by comparing them across 17 key indicators of charitable behavior. Our data set ranges from the volunteer rate to the share of income donated to the share of sheltered homeless.

Here are some of the key metrics that attributed to our high ranking:

• 1st – Overall Rank
• 1st – Charities per Capita
• 1st – Percentage of Donated Income
• 2nd – Volunteering Service Rank
• 5th – Volunteer Hours per Capita
• 6th – Charitable Giving Rank
• 15th – Percentage of Population Who Donated Time
• 15th – Volunteer Rate

WalletHub analyst, Chip Lupo said of the states ranking:

Wyoming is the most charitable state, in large part because residents spend an average of around 29 hours per year volunteering, the fifth-most in the country. The state also has the 14th-highest percentage of residents who volunteer, at roughly 34%. In addition, residents of the Equality State generously give money to charity, donating nearly 4% of their adjusted gross income on average, the highest percentage in the country. On top of that, Wyoming has the second-most Feeding America food banks per capita, and it shelters over 82% of its homeless population.

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Of course, it's excellent to see our wonderful state highlighted yet again, but remember, this year is shaping up to be one of the hardest for residents. More than ever, we need to keep that altruistic spirit alive.