Charitable Giving in America’s Biggest Urban Areas
May 1, 2003 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Percentage of discretionary income given to charity by residents of the 50 largest cities
| Itemized returns | Average discretionary income | Average charitable donation | Average donation as a percentage of discretionary income | |
| Detroit | 33,207 | $26,827 | $3,239 | 12.1% |
| New York | 544,295 | $61,036 | $6,679 | 10.9% |
| Fort Worth | 30,957 | $60,344 | $6,576 | 10.9% |
| Denver | 42,936 | $60,326 | $6,094 | 10.1% |
| Wichita, Kan. | 32,071 | $51,164 | $5,018 | 9.8% |
| St. Louis | 12,126 | $45,676 | $4,336 | 9.5% |
| Minneapolis | 114,476 | $42,214 | $3,988 | 9.4% |
| Mesa, Ariz. | 28,097 | $35,256 | $3,330 | 9.4% |
| Cleveland | 48,574 | $50,452 | $4,748 | 9.4% |
| San Francisco | 75,901 | $69,938 | $6,499 | 9.3% |
| Memphis | 37,476 | $71,335 | $6,464 | 9.1% |
| Washington | 50,023 | $62,376 | $5,604 | 9.0% |
| Baltimore | 33,824 | $52,167 | $4,526 | 8.7% |
| Kansas City, Mo. | 40,485 | $44,243 | $3,807 | 8.6% |
| Tulsa, Okla. | 32,769 | $68,844 | $5,922 | 8.6% |
| Nashville | 37,035 | $72,281 | $6,166 | 8.5% |
| Oklahoma City | 37,623 | $52,593 | $4,486 | 8.5% |
| Milwaukee | 59,462 | $44,396 | $3,749 | 8.4% |
| Boston | 42,991 | $78,973 | $6,654 | 8.4% |
| Long Beach, Calif. | 31,681 | $36,506 | $3,069 | 8.4% |
| Atlanta | 73,310 | $98,541 | $8,231 | 8.4% |
| Houston | 126,617 | $80,669 | $6,665 | 8.3% |
| San Antonio | 59,116 | $57,920 | $4,778 | 8.3% |
| Honolulu | 34,187 | $40,643 | $3,349 | 8.2% |
| Virginia Beach | 39,716 | $45,193 | $3,709 | 8.2% |
| Seattle | 69,912 | $52,015 | $4,241 | 8.2% |
| Oakland, Calif. | 27,875 | $49,456 | $3,996 | 8.1% |
| Omaha | 46,293 | $57,125 | $4,555 | 8.0% |
| San Jose, Calif. | 108,097 | $29,247 | $2,290 | 7.8% |
| Dallas | 64,231 | $117,715 | $9,089 | 7.7% |
| Chicago | 143,216 | $62,176 | $4,790 | 7.7% |
| Indianapolis | 71,282 | $48,439 | $3,731 | 7.7% |
| Sacramento | 44,029 | $35,122 | $2,660 | 7.6% |
| Charlotte, N.C. | 64,559 | $57,572 | $4,291 | 7.5% |
| Colorado Springs | 38,913 | $41,775 | $3,114 | 7.5% |
| Philadelphia | 70,542 | $39,637 | $2,940 | 7.4% |
| Columbus, Ohio | 57,536 | $44,983 | $3,302 | 7.3% |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 42,821 | $59,444 | $4,356 | 7.3% |
| Portland, Ore. | 78,682 | $50,619 | $3,615 | 7.1% |
| Fresno, Calif. | 26,757 | $44,498 | $3,074 | 6.9% |
| Los Angeles | 233,603 | $74,960 | $5,169 | 6.9% |
| San Diego | 94,282 | $39,086 | $2,680 | 6.9% |
| Albuquerque | 42,033 | $42,151 | $2,838 | 6.7% |
| Tucson | 52,311 | $47,019 | $3,081 | 6.6% |
| New Orleans | 21,453 | $81,179 | $5,282 | 6.5% |
| Phoenix | 74,197 | $52,392 | $3,081 | 5.9% |
| Las Vegas | 63,797 | $63,802 | $3,695 | 5.8% |
| Austin, Tex. | 56,785 | $67,879 | $3,913 | 5.8% |
| El Paso | 18,489 | $52,052 | $2,995 | 5.8% |
| Miami | 78,560 | $71,787 | $4,049 | 5.6% |
Percentage of discretionary income given to charity by residents of the 50 largest metropolitan areas
| Itemized returns | Average discretionary income | Average charitable donation | Average donation as a percentage of discretionary income | |
| Salt Lake City/Ogden | 116,043 | $39,345 | $5,851 | 14.9% |
| Grand Rapids/Muskegon/Holland, Mich. | 99,833 | $44,797 | $4,459 | 10.0% |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul | 385,643 | $37,606 | $3,196 | 8.5% |
| Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, N.C. | 105,271 | $46,682 | $3,957 | 8.5% |
| Memphis | 66,530 | $63,582 | $5,347 | 8.4% |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | 367,134 | $54,313 | $4,556 | 8.4% |
| Nashville | 86,050 | $57,689 | $4,763 | 8.3% |
| San Antonio | 72,465 | $53,509 | $4,353 | 8.1% |
| Houston/Galveston/Brazoria | 281,983 | $59,026 | $4,777 | 8.1% |
| Oklahoma City | 75,741 | $47,344 | $3,800 | 8.0% |
| Norfolk/Virginia Beach/Newport News | 123,643 | $38,138 | $3,054 | 8.0% |
| Charlotte/Gastonia/Rock Hill, N.C. | 141,410 | $47,262 | $3,747 | 7.9% |
| Seattle/Tacoma/Bremerton | 349,462 | $40,482 | $3,117 | 7.7% |
| Washington/Baltimore | 901,709 | $44,055 | $3,354 | 7.6% |
| San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose | 845,138 | $48,781 | $3,635 | 7.5% |
| Los Angeles/Riverside/Orange County | 1,235,785 | $49,396 | $3,615 | 7.3% |
| West Palm Beach/Boca Raton, Fla. | 96,425 | $117,921 | $8,518 | 7.2% |
| Atlanta | 313,149 | $55,351 | $3,998 | 7.2% |
| Indianapolis | 155,630 | $48,148 | $3,468 | 7.2% |
| Cincinnati/Hamilton | 185,751 | $44,229 | $3,163 | 7.2% |
| Denver/Boulder/Greeley | 274,586 | $47,860 | $3,384 | 7.1% |
| Portland/Salem, Ore. | 229,938 | $42,945 | $3,009 | 7.0% |
| Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, N.C. | 127,340 | $48,783 | $3,383 | 6.9% |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 67,941 | $61,717 | $4,272 | 6.9% |
| Kansas City, Mo. | 175,238 | $44,668 | $3,081 | 6.9% |
| St. Louis | 247,118 | $46,721 | $3,212 | 6.9% |
| Sacramento/Yolo | 158,522 | $35,588 | $2,445 | 6.9% |
| San Diego | 229,942 | $45,096 | $3,064 | 6.8% |
| Cleveland/Akron | 253,941 | $46,425 | $3,141 | 6.8% |
| New York/Northern New Jersey/Long Island | 2,070,316 | $51,425 | $3,461 | 6.7% |
| Richmond/Petersburg, Va. | 106,038 | $50,242 | $3,336 | 6.6% |
| Detroit/Ann Arbor/Flint | 603,247 | $43,467 | $2,881 | 6.6% |
| Louisville, Ky. | 91,182 | $47,990 | $3,179 | 6.6% |
| Milwaukee/Racine | 192,130 | $43,906 | $2,901 | 6.6% |
| Columbus, Ohio | 140,023 | $41,482 | $2,729 | 6.6% |
| Orlando, Fla. | 95,969 | $52,155 | $3,388 | 6.5% |
| Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Fla. | 123,143 | $61,888 | $4,010 | 6.5% |
| Chicago/Gary/Kenosha | 754,101 | $53,631 | $3,457 | 6.4% |
| Phoenix/Mesa | 249,191 | $49,814 | $3,176 | 6.4% |
| Rochester, N.Y. | 116,369 | $42,080 | $2,615 | 6.2% |
| Philadelphia/Wilmington/Atlantic City | 639,557 | $51,186 | $3,143 | 6.1% |
| Miami/Fort Lauderdale | 212,155 | $63,831 | $3,884 | 6.1% |
| Pittsburgh | 181,262 | $53,036 | $3,217 | 6.1% |
| Austin/San Marcos, Tex. | 86,737 | $55,814 | $3,345 | 6.0% |
| Las Vegas | 94,432 | $57,036 | $3,365 | 5.9% |
| New Orleans | 67,158 | $60,928 | $3,587 | 5.9% |
| Buffalo/Niagara Falls, N.Y. | 103,459 | $40,435 | $2,355 | 5.8% |
| Boston/Worcester/Lawrence | 621,115 | $53,322 | $2,748 | 5.2% |
| Providence/Fall River/Warwick, R.I. | 105,213 | $45,702 | $2,319 | 5.1% |
| Hartford, Conn. | 161,086 | $50,803 | $2,397 | 4.7% |
Note: Figures cover taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes of $50,000 or more who itemized deductions on their federal tax returns.
SOURCE: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, Internal Revenue Service
