We all know how deeply generous Iowans are. We’ll give you the shirt off of our back if you need it more than we do – it’s just how we were raised. In fact, on average, Iowans give more money to charity than people in Illinois, Wisconsin, or Minnesota. According to data compiled by Philanthropy.com, residents of these 10 counties in Iowa give the highest percentage of their income to charity. They define “giving ratio” as the percentage of adjusted gross income that residents give to charity according to charitable contributions listed on income tax forms. These numbers are based on data from 2012, the most recent year for which information is available.
- Lyon County
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527626 The data reports a giving ratio of 4.09% in Lyon County, where the county seat is Rock Rapids.
- Story County
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2139808 Lovely Story County, where Nevada is the county seat, boasted a median contribution amount of $3,744 for the year 2012.
- Washington County
By Kepper66 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17455484 Washington County, where the county seat is Washington, gave a total of $12,125,000 in 2012, making for a giving ratio of 4.15%.
- Wright County
By Ann Sullivan-Larson - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21145880 In Wright County, which calls Clarion its county seat, the giving ratio is 4.16%.
- O’Brien County
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527620 Residents of O’Brien County, where the county seat is Primghar, made a median contribution of $4,720 per household in 2012.
- Decatur County
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527610 In Decatur County - county seat Leon - the 2012 giving ratio was 4.67%. The median contribution amount was $3,663 per household.
- Marion County
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068846 The generous people of Marion County, where you’ll find the county seat of Knoxville, gave a total of $25,214,000 to charitable causes in 2012.
- Jefferson County
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068999 This county, where Fairfield is the county seat, has a giving ratio of 4.91%.
- Mahaska County
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068890 Mahaska County, home of county seat Oskaloosa, has a giving ratio of 6.0%. The residents of the county gave an incredible $15,284,000 to charitable causes in 2012.
- Sioux County
By Josejuan05 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16339275 Sioux County, where the county seat is Orange City, has a giving ratio of a whopping 6.54%. The median annual contribution is $6,007.
Were there any surprises here for you? How did your county stack up? See the numbers for the entire state over at Philanthropy.com.
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527626
The data reports a giving ratio of 4.09% in Lyon County, where the county seat is Rock Rapids.
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2139808
Lovely Story County, where Nevada is the county seat, boasted a median contribution amount of $3,744 for the year 2012.
By Kepper66 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17455484
Washington County, where the county seat is Washington, gave a total of $12,125,000 in 2012, making for a giving ratio of 4.15%.
By Ann Sullivan-Larson - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21145880
In Wright County, which calls Clarion its county seat, the giving ratio is 4.16%.
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527620
Residents of O’Brien County, where the county seat is Primghar, made a median contribution of $4,720 per household in 2012.
By Scott Romine - Sent to me by author, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39527610
In Decatur County - county seat Leon - the 2012 giving ratio was 4.67%. The median contribution amount was $3,663 per household.
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068846
The generous people of Marion County, where you’ll find the county seat of Knoxville, gave a total of $25,214,000 to charitable causes in 2012.
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068999
This county, where Fairfield is the county seat, has a giving ratio of 4.91%.
By en:User:Cburnett - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2068890
Mahaska County, home of county seat Oskaloosa, has a giving ratio of 6.0%. The residents of the county gave an incredible $15,284,000 to charitable causes in 2012.
By Josejuan05 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16339275
Sioux County, where the county seat is Orange City, has a giving ratio of a whopping 6.54%. The median annual contribution is $6,007.
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