We Are a Giving Bunch: South Dakota Ranks in Top 5 of Most Charitable States

Christmas time has a way of sparking people into giving to charities. Actually, the month of December is the month when nearly a third of all giving takes place, and people in the United States are a giving bunch.

The United States ranks second overall in the 2015 World Giving Index, with an average of about 95.4 percent of households donating to some kind of charity. That number may seem high, but giving to a charity doesn't always mean a monetary donation. Giving your time and doing volunteer work is also considered to be a form of contribution.

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With the hope of getting more people to increase their charitable giving, WalletHub conducted a study and found the 2015 Most & Least Charitable States. Looking at factors that includes volunteerism, the percentage of taxpayers who donated to a charity and the growth in giving, WalletHub was able to determine that the Top 5 Most Charitable States are:

1. Utah
2. Maryland
3. Idaho
4. Oregon
5. South Dakota

The states at the bottom of the survey (and maybe the states that shouldn't be so Grinchy!) are Kentucky, Arizona, California, Louisiana and Rhode Island. Click on the map below to find out where your favorite state ranks with charitable donations.