People volunteer both formally and informally – formal volunteering happens via official organizations, while informal volunteering often means neighbors helping neighbors. Formal volunteers support food banks and public health efforts, tutor students, among other efforts. Informal volunteering includes favors like providing free childcare or running errands.
Over a quarter of Americans ages 16 and older — 75.7 million people — gave 5 billion hours of formal volunteering service in 2023.
That’s an average of 66 hours per person (or 8.25 business days). Meanwhile, over half of Americans 16 and older provided informal help to neighbors.
The rates of both volunteering types have increased since AmeriCorps last collected data in 2021.
Nationwide, Americans were more likely to help neighbors than participate in formal volunteering efforts. State rates of informal volunteering in 2023 ranged from around 46% to 68% while formal volunteering rates hovered between 19% and 47%.
Which states have the most formal volunteers?
In 2023, Utah had the highest rate of residents engaged in formal volunteering: 46.6%. Vermont had the second highest rate with 40.5% of residents, and Minnesota and Nebraska tied for third at 40.3%.
The states with the lowest rates were Alabama (19.9%), Nevada (18.6%), and Rhode Island (18.5%).
Which states are the most neighborly?
Utahans are also the most likely to informally help their neighbors — their 2023 rate of informal volunteers was 68.2%. Montanans rank second (68.0%), and Coloradans were third (67.4%).
The states where people were least likely to engage in informal volunteering were Alabama and Georgia (both 47.3%), and Nevada (45.7%).
Which generations are most likely to volunteer in their communities?
Gen Xers, or those born between 1965 and 1980, led all generations in formal volunteering in 2023. Baby boomers — born between 1946 and 1964 — were mostly likely to help a neighbor.
People born in 1945 or earlier — the Silent and Greatest Generations — were least likely to formally volunteer (around one in five did so in 2023) but were third most likely to informally help neighbors.
Gen Zers, born between 1997 and 2012, were the least likely to informally help neighbors (just over one in three Gen Zers reported doing it) and were second least likely to give time to formal volunteer opportunities (around one in four).
Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996, were second most likely to participate in formal volunteering and fourth most likely to help out a neighbor.
Volunteering rates varied by other demographic factors, too: Women were more likely to formally volunteer than men (30.9% vs 25.6%), but women and men volunteered informally at about the same rate (54.5% and 54.0%).
Americans with the highest levels of education were the most likely to volunteer both formally and informally. Veterans were more likely to informally volunteer than non-veterans.
Where does the data come from?
This data comes from AmeriCorps and the Census Bureau. They partner to release volunteering data every two years. Data from September 2022 to 2023 shows trends in formal volunteering, informal helping and other civic engagement activities nationally, at the state level, and in metro areas for Americans 16 and older.
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Page sources and methodology
All of the data on the page was sourced directly from government agencies. The analysis and final review was performed by USAFacts.
AmeriCorps
Volunteering and Civic Life in America
AmeriCorps
National Rates of Formal Volunteering and Informal Helping