What does this measure?

Contributions to charitable organizations, measured as an average per tax return with itemized contributions.

Why is this important?

Charitable giving supports a variety of organizations, including those that provide essential services to the community and people in need. The level of giving shows residents' willingness to invest in programs and organizations serving the community.

How is our county performing?

In 2018, the average charitable contribution in Berks County was $10,624, less than the average for Pennsylvania ($11,161) and the U.S. ($13,230).

The average charitable contribution in 2018 was higher than Berks in Lancaster ($15,882), Lebanon ($12,741) and Montgomery ($13,203) counties. The average contribution was lower in Chester ($10,189), Lehigh ($8,803) and Schuylkill ($8,314).

Due to the change in tax laws, standard deductions nearly doubled for all filers for 2018 and therefore comparisons to prior years are not comparable.

Notes about the data

Figures are in constant 2019 dollars. These figures reflect contributions listed on tax returns with itemized deductions, which researchers estimate cover about 80% of all charitable giving nationally. High-income taxpayers are much more likely to file tax returns with itemized deductions than those with lower incomes. For 2018, the standard deduction has nearly doubled for all filers. No county or state data are available on charitable contributions by taxpayers who take the standard deduction.

There may be additional research available on this topic. Click on Reports and Resources to learn more.