Volunteering in America

Factors that Influence Volunteer Rates

New Mexico

Volunteer Rates Lower in Cities with High Foreclosures

In general, higher foreclosure rates are expected to have an impact on volunteering rates; that is, it would not be unexpected if higher foreclosure rates in a city corresponded with lower volunteer rates. In 2010, we see the evidence. Cities with high foreclosure rates tend to have a corresponding lower volunteering rate (Foreclosure data used for this analysis was provided by RealtyTrac).

The Capacity of a Community's Associations Impacts Volunteer Rates

Communities with higher nonprofits per capita are likely to have higher volunteer rates. As the number of nonprofits per 1,000 city residents increases, the volunteering rate also increases. At a national level, there are an average of 4.55 nonprofit organizations per 1,000 residents.

Greater Attachment to the Community Encourages Volunteering

Indicators such as homeownership and the number of multiunit dwellings, help determine whether residents have a long-term commitment and attachment to their communities. Data show that as the rate of homeownership increases the volunteer rate also tends to increase. Nationally, 65.9% of individuals own their home. Conversely, communities with a large percentage of multi-unit housing, such as apartment buildings and condominiums, have lower volunteer rates. Nationally, 32.7% of individuals live in multi-unit housing.

Volunteering Rises with Education

For states and large metropolitan areas, as the education level increases, the likelihood of volunteering also rises. At a national level, 85.3% have a high school diploma or GED equivalent and 27.9% have a college degree.

Volunteering is Less Common in High Poverty Areas

Poverty is another socioeconomic characteristic that tends to be strongly associated with lower volunteer rates. However, it is difficult to determine whether high poverty rates reduce the overall propensity to volunteer, whether high volunteering in a community leads to a reduction in poverty, or if both effects occur. At a National level, the poverty rate is 14.3 percent

Higher State Unemployment Related to Lower Volunteering

As shown in the Volunteering in America 2011 website, states with high rates of unemployment usually have low volunteer rates. While theorists have ideas as to the basis of this relationship, more research is needed to determine a cause. In 2010, the national unemployment rate was 8.8%.