A report from the Chronicle of Philanthropy measured the generosity of the nation’s 50 largest cities for 2012 and compared it to charitable donations for 2006.
Seven of the top 10 most generous cities increased their giving, while three cities experienced declines.
For Jacksonville, Fla., the share of income given to charity increased by 8.7 percent from 2006 to 2012, the second-highest growth rate among the 50 cities analyzed. Rallying behind an effort to improve the region’s public schools, Jacksonville residents have contributed more than $40-million to a public-education fund.
This increase came while the region was still suffering from major effects of the financial crisis. In 2012, home values in Jacksonville were well below prerecession levels and employment hadn’t fully recovered to 2006 rates, says the Chronicle.
The following cities are listed with No. 1 being the most generous for 2012.
No. 10
Virginia Beach, Va.
Gave 3.3 percent of income in 2012, down 6.1 percent since 2006.
