Wyoming ranked fourth most charitable state in nation

Despite being in the midst of a major economic downturn, Wyoming scored high marks for charitable giving and volunteering over the last year, according to a ranking by the finance website WalletHub released Nov. 28. The Cowboy State was listed as the fourth most charitable state in the nation.

The rank places Wyoming behind Utah but ahead of all other neighboring states, the closest competitor being South Dakota, which was ranked eighth.

States were scored primarily on charitable donations and volunteering but the full methodology included 14 items, including the total share of income by state residents that is donated. While Wyoming ranked eighth in both donations and volunteering, it appears to have been boosted in the overall ranking by a first place finish in the percentage of donated income.

Wyoming consistently scores high in philanthropic rankings. A different list of charitable states, released in mid-November by the website SmartAsset, placed Wyoming third overall.

“Wyoming residents are ... generous with their money, at least according to their tax returns,” SmartAsset expert Derek Miller wrote in the ranking. “The average Wyoming resident donates just under $1,000 per year to charity according to IRS data.”

Casper was named the “most giving” city in the nation last November by travel website Travelocity in a ranking that relied largely on social media postings. The moniker is now promoted on lamppost banners in the city’s downtown.

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