Only two of the 50 biggest metropolitan areas—Salt Lake City and Memphis—gave more than 5 percent of income to charity. The two least-generous were Hartford, Conn., and Providence, R.I., which each gave less than 2 percent of income.

RankMetro areaGiving rate, 2012Change in giving since 2006 1 Salt Lake City 5.4% +2.7% 2 Memphis 5.1% +6.7% 3 Birmingham, Ala. 4.8% +1.7% 4 Atlanta 4.0% +6.5% 5 Nashville 3.9% +4.8% 6 Jacksonville, Fla. 3.8% +8.7% 7 Oklahoma City 3.7% -1.6% 8 Dallas-Fort Worth 3.6% +4.6% 9 Charlotte, N.C. 3.4% -5.5% 10 Virginia Beach 3.3% -6.1% 11 Houston 3.2% +1.6% 12 Indianapolis 3.2% +5.2% 13 Louisville, Ky. 3.2% -3.3% 14 San Antonio 3.1% -2.8% 15 Orlando, Fla. 3.1% +4.0% 16 Kansas City, Mo.-Ks. 3.1% -1.6% 17 Richmond, Va. 3.0% -6.7% 18 Raleigh-Cary, NC 3.0% -7.4% 19 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 3.0% +3.1% 20 Riverside, Calif. 3.0% -0.7% 21 Phoenix 2.9% +0.3% 22 Baltimore 2.9% -8.8% 23 St. Louis 2.9% -4.0% 24 Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla. 2.9% 0.0% 25 New Orleans 2.8% -3.1% 26 Las Vegas 2.8% +14.9% 27 Washington 2.8% -9.5% 28 Los Angeles 2.8% -9.5% 29 Detroit 2.7% -4.9% 30 Cleveland 2.7% -3.6% 31 Milwaukee 2.7% -0.7% 32 Cincinnati 2.7% -6.4% 33 Portland, Ore. 2.6% -6.7% 34 Chicago 2.6% -5.1% 35 Denver 2.6% -0.8% 36 Austin, Tex. 2.6% -3.3% 37 Minneapolis-St. Paul 2.6% -9.4% 38 New York 2.6% -8.8% 39 Columbus, Ohio 2.6% -6.5% 40 Seattle 2.5% -6.7% 41 Philadelphia 2.5% -10.3% 42 San Diego 2.4% -8.0% 43 Sacramento 2.4% -4.4% 44 Pittsburgh 2.4% -5.9% 45 San Francisco 2.4% -5.2% 46 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y. 2.3% -10.6% 47 Boston 2.3% -3.8% 48 San Jose, Calif. 2.2% -7.8% 49 Providence, R.I. 1.9% -8.3% 50 Hartford, Conn. 1.9% -8.9%