Study Shows Utah Residents Claim Volunteering Top Spot Yet Again

For the ninth year in a row, Utah residents are number one, in terms of volunteering their time.

Utah ranks number one on the annual, "Volunteering and Civic Life in America Report," put out by the federal government. Close to 45 percent of Utahns volunteer, and they contribute about 155 million hours of service.

It's probably not a coincidence that religious organizations are the biggest beneficiaries of volunteer work, who make up about a third of the hours donated. Many point to the large Mormon population in Utah as a reason the state continues to dominate the rankings.

Utah is joined at the top of the list by other middle of the country states, such as Idaho, Minnesota, Kansas and Wisconsin.

Volunteers across the country perform a variety of functions from fundraising for non-profits, to distributing food, to teaching and coaching.

The bottom of the list includes Florida, Nevada, New York and Louisiana.