Report Shows Disparity in Giving by Mass. Residents

A report on charitable giving in Massachusetts about to be released by the Boston Foundation found that wealthy residents in the state give away much more of their incomes than other affluent people in the United States, but low- and middle-income residents lag behind, reports The Boston Globe.

On average, wealthy people in Massachusetts donate nearly twice as much as other people with similar incomes, according to the report. However, other households in the state gave an average of 2.7 percent of their incomes to charity, compared to the national average of 4 percent. Possible reasons include the state’s high cost of living, which creates financial strains for more modest households, the report suggested.

The report also found that Massachusetts residents tend to support secular charities rather than religious causes. They gave on average $1,057 in donations, compared to the national average of $776.

(Free registration is required to view this article.)