The post The Top 12 States Where People Volunteer the Most first appeared on Crafting Your Home.
Millions of Americans give their time each year through nonprofit organizations, schools, faith groups, community organizations, and other service programs. But where are people most likely to volunteer?
The latest nationwide comparison from AmeriCorps and the U.S. Census Bureau ranks states based on the percentage of residents age 16 and older who reported formal volunteering through an organization during the 12 months before the September 2023 survey.
The ranking measures organized volunteer activity, not every form of helping. Someone who helps a neighbor, provides unpaid care for a relative, or informally assists a friend may be contributing to their community, but this formal volunteer measure does not count those activities.
According to the data, 75.7 million Americans age 16 and older, or 28.3% of that population, formally volunteered between September 2022 and September 2023. Those volunteers contributed an estimated 4.99 billion hours of service, valued at more than $167.2 billion.
The 2023 volunteer rate represented a major recovery from the pandemic-era decline. The national rate increased by 5.1 percentage points from 2021, although it remained below the 2019 pre-pandemic level.
Here are the 12 states with the highest formal volunteer rates.
Utah
Utah ranked first in the nation, with 46.6% of residents age 16 and older reporting formal volunteer activity.
The state’s volunteer rate was more than six percentage points higher than Vermont, which ranked second. Utah’s official service commission reported that more than 1.2 million Utah residents volunteered through organizations in 2023, while more than 1.7 million also helped neighbors informally.
The data show Utah had the highest formal volunteer participation rate, but the ranking alone does not explain why the state ranked first. Many factors can influence volunteer participation, and the survey does not identify a single cause behind state differences.
Related: 6 Ways Volunteering Can Help You Make Friends and Improve Your Health
Vermont
Vermont ranked second nationally with a formal volunteer rate of 40.5%.
The state was the highest-ranked Northeastern state in the top 12. Its placement shows that high volunteer participation was not limited to one geographic area.
The ranking measures participation through organizations, meaning it reflects activities such as nonprofit work, school involvement, civic groups, and community programs rather than informal assistance alone.
Minnesota and Nebraska
Minnesota and Nebraska tied for third place, with both states reporting a formal volunteer rate of 40.3%.
The tie is an important detail because both states hold the same ranking position. Nebraska’s statewide service organization also recognized the state’s tie with Minnesota for third nationally.
Minnesota has consistently appeared among the highest-volunteering states. In 2021, it ranked third with a 35.5% volunteer rate before rising to 40.3% in 2023.
Kansas
Kansas ranked fifth, with 39.6% of residents age 16 and older reporting formal volunteer participation.
The state was part of a broader pattern in which several Midwest and Mountain West states appeared among the national leaders.
However, the data do not show that geography alone explains volunteer rates. Researchers caution against assuming that regional culture, population characteristics, or other factors automatically cause higher participation.
South Dakota
South Dakota ranked sixth nationally with a formal volunteer rate of 37.8%.
The state’s placement continued the strong representation of smaller-population states in the top rankings.
The volunteer-rate ranking measures the share of residents who participate, not the total number of volunteers. This means a smaller state can rank highly even if a larger state has more volunteers overall.
Connecticut
Connecticut ranked seventh, with 37.4% of residents reporting formal volunteer activity.
Its appearance in the top 12 demonstrates that strong volunteer participation was not limited to Midwestern and Western states. Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine all appeared among the highest-ranking states, showing representation from the Northeast as well.
Montana
Montana ranked eighth nationally, with a formal volunteer rate of 37.2%. The state was among several Mountain West states appearing in the top rankings, alongside Utah and Colorado.
The ranking reflects participation in formal organizations and does not measure every type of community involvement.
Oregon
Oregon ranked ninth with a formal volunteer rate of 35.7%. Its inclusion highlights the geographic diversity of states with high volunteer participation.
The District of Columbia recorded a 35.8% formal volunteer rate, which would place it above Oregon in a combined state-and-D.C. ranking. However, Washington, D.C., is not a state and is therefore excluded from the states-only list.
Iowa
Iowa ranked tenth, with 35.5% of residents age 16 and older reporting formal volunteering. Like several other top-ranked states, Iowa’s position reflects participation rates rather than the total number of volunteers.
Maine
Maine ranked eleventh nationally with a formal volunteer rate of 34.9%.
The state’s appearance among the top performers contributed to the broader pattern showing that high volunteer participation exists across multiple regions.
Colorado
Colorado completed the top 12 with a formal volunteer rate of 34.7%.
Its ranking adds another Mountain West state to the list, although the overall group includes states from the Northeast, Midwest, Plains, and West.
Volunteering increased after the pandemic, but recovery was uneven
The 2023 data show a nationwide rebound in formal volunteering after a sharp decline during the pandemic period.
The national formal volunteer rate increased from 23.2% in 2021 to 28.3% in 2023.
However, the recovery was not identical everywhere. AmeriCorps reported that some states reached or exceeded their 2019 volunteer rates, while others remained below their pre-pandemic levels.
The changes do not prove that certain states became more or less community-minded. The survey measures reported participation in formal volunteering, not the values or character of residents.
Related: 8 Unwritten Rules of Being a Good Neighbor That Many People Forget
Formal volunteering is only one part of community service
Volunteer rankings can reveal important patterns, but they do not capture every way people contribute.
In 2023, formal volunteering represented 28.3% of Americans age 16 and older, while more than half of Americans reported some form of informal helping.
That means a state with a lower formal volunteer rate may still have strong neighbor-to-neighbor support, caregiving, and informal community assistance.
The latest AmeriCorps and Census Bureau data show where organized volunteering was most common, but they represent only one measure of how Americans support their communities.
The states at the top of the list demonstrate strong participation in formal service organizations. The broader picture of community involvement, however, includes many forms of helping that happen outside official volunteer programs.
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