Minnesotans are Charitable

submitted by Matt Bartel

Oct 13 2006 — 2:00am

The New York Times reports that Minnesota is the fourth most generous state in terms of personal giving as a percentage of assets (behind Utah, Oklahoma, and Nebraska)

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11 Reader Comments

just plain BoB Oct 13 2006
10:45 am

If the NYT says it, it must be true.

Feel free to donate online, generous MNspeakers!

bud jr Oct 13 2006
10:45 am

If that includes taxes contributing to welfare, surely we rank even higher!

msparber Oct 13 2006
10:48 am

Once again we get our sorry asses kicked by Nebraska.

tmayhem Oct 13 2006
10:52 am

I guess that’s because the cost of living is so low in those states that people can afford to give more away.

champs Oct 13 2006
10:58 am

The people of Nebraska are good people, but unless you’re Warren Buffett, you’ll also have a lower income to go with that lower cost of Nebraska life. I’m sure Mr. Mayhem realizes this, but the “cost of living” is a misleading statistic. All other things being equal, the cost of living matters much less than the gross value of the remainder.

Anyway, I can see Utah ranking high because of the Mormons’ private charity, but in that case, it also means tithing, so you may as well call it a tax. Do Oklahoma casinos donate a lot of money?

alamn Oct 13 2006
11:16 am

You’re half right, tmayham. Statistically speaking, people in the lower “middle class” income brackets donate a greater % of their income than any other group.

Why? My theory is that it is a little easier to feel for the less fortunate when you are only a paycheck or two from trouble yourself.

alamn Oct 13 2006
11:37 am

Looks like a gent from Bangladesh can teach us a few things about generosity, too.

srhcb Oct 13 2006
12:01 pm

I’ve donated to the Grameen Fund via The Motley Fool’s annual Foolanthropy program for many years. The success of the venture isn’t predicated upon generosity but sound business principles, scaled down to match the regions abilities and needs.

tmayhem Oct 13 2006
4:39 pm

My philanthropy is limited to putting some of my 401k into a developing markets fund. Hey third world, we’ll lend you some money as long as you promise to pay all your profits back to us! ka-ching!

):

hey, I don’t make enough to give yet.

The Rat Oct 13 2006
6:29 pm

“If that includes taxes contributing to welfare, surely we rank even higher!”

Maybe you could tell us, Bud, how Minnesota ranks in terms of AFDC and other aid recipients per capita.

But I bet you don’t know that, and your talking out of your ass.

Big G Oct 14 2006
8:19 pm

See? Blue States like Minnesota are generous with the community than Red Staters. It shows you that consertatives can’t be trusted, just about everything.