The number of public charities in a state reflects state population size. Public charities are in every state, but the greatest number are generally in the states with the largest populations, such as California, New York, and Texas. States with small populations tend to have the most public charities per capita. Nationally, there were 6.8 public charities per 10,000 residents in 1994. Since most religious organizations and small nonprofit organizations are not required to file with the IRS, the density would be higher if they were taken into account.
Most nonprofit organizations are small, but large organizations have the bulk of finances.
Human services organizations are the most common type of public charity but account for only about one-tenth of expenditures. Finances are concentrated geographically. The early 1990s saw an increase in public charities. Between 1989 and 1994, the number of public charities reporting to the IRS grew by 6.3 percent annually, compared with the national population growth of 1.1 percent. The most rapid growth of nonprofit organizations occurred between 1989 and 1992, with an average annual growth rate of 7.3 percent.