AmeriCorps.gov @AmeriCorps

VOLUNTEERING AND CIVIC LIFE IN AMERICA 

RESEARCH SUMMARY

Every two years, AmeriCorps conducts the most robust longitudinal survey about volunteerism and other 

forms of civic engagement in the United States in partnership with the US Census Bureau. The data informs 

Volunteering and Civic Life in America, AmeriCorps’ comprehensive research about civic engagement 

trends in the United States. The latest research examines organizational volunteering, helping others 

informally, and other civic behaviors from September 2020-2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What did Volunteering Look Like during COVID-19? 

Despite the devastating impact of the pandemic, Americans 

continued to serve one another and their communities. They 

helped neighbors by doing favors like watching each other’s 

children, running errands, and more. Americans also helped their 

communities by supporting COVID-19 testing and vaccination, 

conducting wellness checks on isolated seniors, supporting food 

banks, assisting other public health efforts, and helping students 

stay on track in school. 

Formal Volunteering and Informal Helping 

Although the national rate of volunteering through organizations 

declined from 2019 to 2021, Americans continued to help each 

other informally. 

Uniting Americans 

Through Service

AmeriCorps is the federal 

agency for national service 

and volunteerism. AmeriCorps 

provides opportunities for 

Americans of all backgrounds 

to serve their country, address 

the nation’s most pressing 

challenges, improve lives and 

communities, and strengthen 

civic engagement. 
AmeriCorps.gov @AmeriCorps

Formal Volunteering 

Formal volunteering involves helping others through 

organizations.

An estimated 23.2 percent of Americans or 60.7 million 

people formally volunteered with organizations between 

September 2020 and 2021. In total, these volunteers 

served an estimated 4.1 billion hours with an economic 

value of $122.9 billion. 

The formal volunteering rate dropped seven percentage 

points—from 30 percent in 2019 to 23 percent in 2021. 

This is the largest change since AmeriCorps and the US 

Census began collecting this data in 2002. 

National Demographics:

• The formal volunteering rate for women dropped eight percentage points—for men it dropped five 

unteer at a higher rate than men.

est formal volunteering rate out of all generations 

red at a higher rate (30 percent) than those without 

percentage points. Still, women continued to vol

• Generation X (aged 41 to 56 in 2021) had the high

(27 percent). 

• Parents with children under 18 formally voluntee

children in their household (21 percent). 

Informal Helping 

Informal helping involves assisting others outside of 

an organizational context, including doing favors for 

neighbors.

The rate of Americans informally helping others remained 

stable between the 2019 and 2021 surveys. Nearly 51 percent

of Americans or 124.7 million people exchanged favors 

with their neighbors between September 2020 and 2021.

National Demographics:

• Baby boomers had the highest informal helping rate 

(59 percent) of all generations. 

• Veterans helped their neighbors at a rate of 59 percent, 

eight percentage points higher than non-veterans.

• People with children under 18 informally helped their neighbors at a higher rate (58 percent) than those 

without children in their household (49 percent).

The table shows the 10 states with the highest 

2021 formal volunteering rates in the country.

State 2021 Formal 

Volunteering Rate

Utah 40.7% 

Wyoming 39.2% 

Minnesota 35.5% 

Maine 34.9% 

District of Columbia 34.2% 

South Dakota 34.2% 

Nebraska 33.9% 

Kansas 31.5% 

Montana 31.1% 

Missouri 30.5% 

The table shows the 10 states with the highest 

2021 informal helping rates in the country. 

State 2021 Informal 

Helping Rate

Montana 68.8%

Nebraska 66.4%

Maine 65.0%

Delaware 63.9%

Vermont 63.9%

Minnesota 61.9%

Utah 61.6%

West Virginia 60.5%

Iowa 60.3%

Pennsylvania 60.1%

VOLUNTEERING AND CIVIC LIFE IN AMERICA 

RESEARCH SUMMARY
AmeriCorps.gov @AmeriCorps

Metropolitan Areas – Formal Volunteering and Informal Helping Rates 

View formal volunteering and informal helping rates for the 12 largest metropolitan areas in 2021.

Metropolitan Area Formal Volunteering Rate Informal Helping Rate

New York Metro Area 19.4% 43.6% 

Los Angeles Metro Area 15.1% 41.7% 

Chicago Metro Area 27.6% 54.6% 

Dallas Metro Area 18.8% 43.0% 

Houston Metro Area 20.1% 48.5% 

Washington, DC Metro Area 27.9% 46.8% 

Philadelphia Metro Area 28.7% 57.8% 

Atlanta Metro Area 19.6% 40.8% 

Miami Metro Area 14.0% 35.5% 

Phoenix Metro Area 25.4% 47.4% 

Boston Metro Area 25.4% 57.9% 

Riverside Metro Area 9.0% 44.2% 

Learn more about Volunteering and Civic Life in America and explore the 2021 Current Population Survey Civic 

Engagement and Volunteering Supplement data at AmeriCorps.gov/VolunteeringInAmerica.

VOLUNTEERING AND CIVIC LIFE IN AMERICA 

RESEARCH SUMMARY