Maine’s Spirit of Giving Puts It Among the Nation’s Best

I've always believed that Mainers have hearts that are as big as the state itself.

There's no question this is a wonderful state when it comes to giving back and looking out for others. And now, we have proof of that.

WalletHub.com, a personal finance website, recently released its ranking of the most charitable states in the country—and, not surprisingly, Maine ranked near the top. The Pine Tree State earned the impressive spot of 4th most charitable state in the nation. Quite a remarkable achievement!

Maine's overall survey score was a 69.64 out of a possible 100 points. The scoring was based on two major categories: Volunteering & Service and Charitable Giving. The categories were broken down into 17 subcategories to make the study as accurate as possible. You can read more about the methodology here.

Maine ranked just below average for charitable giving, coming in at 26th overall. However, the state truly stood out in terms of volunteering and community service, securing an impressive 2nd place—only edged out by Wyoming. These incredible volunteer results include a ranking of 4th for both volunteer hours per capita and volunteer rate.

Having worked at a nonprofit in Maine, I can say these numbers ring true. I witnessed firsthand how incredibly generous Mainers are, always eager to help however they can. And it wasn’t just people directly connected to the organization—I’d see the same spirit from folks with no personal stake at all. This state really is one of a kind. People here just want to take care of each other.

Again, nobody should be surprised. This state has one of the largest collective hearts you can find. Maine is one large community, and it really shows.

Three states did finish ahead of Maine on the list. They were...

1. Wyoming
2. Utah
3. Minnesota

As for the least charitable state, that award goes to New Mexico. Well, I guess someone has to be last. You can see the full list here.