December 17, 2004 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Volunteer rates in 2004

About 64.5 million persons, or 28.8 percent of the civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over, volunteered through or for organizations at least once from September 2003 to September 2004.

Volunteer rates, September 2004 (percent)
[Chart data—TXT]

One-fourth of men and about one-third of women did volunteer work in the year ended in September 2004, about the same proportions as in the prior year. Women volunteered at a higher rate than men across age groups, education levels, and other major characteristics.

These data are from a supplement to the September 2004 Current Population Survey. Find out more in "Volunteering in the United States, 2004" (PDF) (TXT), news release USDL 04-2503.