When it comes to donating your paycheck to charity, just how generous are you?
Do you back up your words with cold, hard cash or simply give non-profits the cold shoulder? A study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy released Monday looked at every zip code in the United States.
Among the study's wide-ranging findings:
- Utah is the most generous state, donating 10.6 percent of discretionary income.
- New York ranks 17th (4.7 percent).
- New Hampshire is the stingiest (just 2.5 percent).
- People who live in politically conservative, "red states" are more generous than those in liberal or "blue states."
Long Island measured up well. Nassau rated 11th among 3,115 counties nationwide at 5.3 percent while Suffolk was 24th (4.8 percent).
How America Gives ranked each of the 28,725 zip codes in the U.S. by measuring income, average annual contribution and percentage of income.
So how does Smithtown rate?
11787 - Smithtown
Zip Code Totals Total Contributions $23.5 million Median Contribution $2,330 Median Discretionary Income $66,919 Percent of Income Given 3.5 percent Total Contributions Rank1,154
11780 - St. James, Head of Harbor, Nissequogue
Zip Code Totals Total Contributions $18.6 million Median Contribution $2,525 Median Discretionary Income $74,050 Percent of Income Given 3.4 percent Total Contributions Rank1,805
