We start off with Plano, Texas. The population is estimated around 287,677 and the city encompasses about 72.04 square miles of land. That's a lot of love to spread around, and pretty far to reach out with it too–but that doesn't seem to be too much of a problem with the people of Plano.
Currently, Plano ranks #21 in its 'Care for the Vulnerable.' Whether it’s the impoverished, homeless, stray cats and dogs, or disabled, it's usually the "vulnerable" who need the most help. But Plano is really making a difference in their community as a whole, ranking #9 in 'Caring for the Community.'
Washington, DC has shown the sixth most care for the "vulnerable." With special attention directed toward the kids, Washington, DC does a good job looking after vulnerable individuals such as the disabled and impoverished.
Washington, DC may be full of people who don't care, but that doesn't mean its teachers don't. Washington, DC has the fourth-most teachers caring for their students' well-being—an overlooked and underappreciated teacher duty that goes a long way in making a difference in a child's life and education.
San Jose, California shows care in a lot of ways but they really show it towards the vulnerable and the needy. One great feat is that San Jose has the fourth lowest child poverty rate in the country.
San Jose, California has also done particularly great work with charitable donations. The city ranks #3 in the 'Highest % Income Donated to Charity,' which means people were willing to donate more of their income to those in need, compared to most cities. In fact, they donated twice as much as residents in Boston, Pittsburgh and Sacramento – just to name a few.
Raleigh, North Carolina shows some love for thy neighbor with a favor or two - or three! The city ranks #3 with the greatest percentage of the population doing favors for their fellow neighbors.
With positions at #49 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable' and #45 for 'Caring in the Workforce,' it would seem Raleighians..or Raleighans…Raleighites…or whatever you call them, are a bit on the fence when it comes to caring for people they don't know. So instead, they direct their love to their neighbors and in turn those neighbors give back. Good deal.
Yep, they have more to offer than just steaks! Omaha, Nebraska is the first, but not the last Nebraskan city on the list. The city ranks merely at #78 in 'Caring for the Community,' but it shows much more affection for those who are vulnerable, sick, or homeless.
In terms of care for the "vulnerable," Omaha has placed 18th on WalletHub's ranking system, which means that poverty is lower, there is work for the disabled, and more instances of paid family leave than in most places. Better yet, Omaha ranks 15th for 'Caring in the Workforce.' Their biggest feat, though, is that they have the fifth-highest percentage of sheltered homeless people.
Portland, Oregon's rankings in 'Caring for the Community' and 'Caring in the Workforce' are not too remarkable but Portland has actually placed #9 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable,' which is not so "meh."
Nevertheless, when you dig a little deeper in the results, the rankings aren't so cut and dry. For one thing, despite a low 'community' score, Portland has the fourth highest percentage of the population that does favors for neighbors. They also have the most volunteering hours per capita. Both accomplishments are not considerations for 'Caring for the Vulnerable' but rather 'Caring for the Community,' which Portland ranks #49. Go figure!
Irvine, California has been consistently ranked as the safest city in America for 15 consecutive years, so it's no surprise that the Irvine community has such high regard for the well-being of others. Irvine has ranked #64 for 'Caring in the Workforce,' but when it comes to 'Caring for the Community' and 'Caring for the Vulnerable,' it ranks much higher.
Irvine placed 13th for its community care and 17th for its care of the vulnerable. Thanks to available housing for those who need it, low poverty rates, volunteer work and charitable donations among many other factors, Irvine has a well-deserved place in the top 25 most caring cities.
Chicago, Illinois has a notorious reputation as one of the most corrupt cities in the country. Nevertheless, it has plenty of charitable people to make up for it. It ranks #34 in 'Caring for the Community', and #28 for 'Caring in the Workforce' – which is probably why Chicago was the setting for the television series ER. But, we digress.
Call it a guilty conscience or being misunderstood, the good deeds of the people of Chicago are not to be ignored, no matter what they have done. If people are able to find work, provide for their families and get a roof over their head – you can't really complain.
You may think of it as the spot of the most notorious college partying spot on the west coast, but it's so much more. San Diego, California fares well in regard to 'Caring for the Community' but its fourth place in 'Caring for the Vulnerable' is what's really impressive. To earn such a spot, a variety of factors were considered.
Child and Adult poverty rates in the city are not the best, but they aren't terrible either. Employers providing paid family leave and hiring disabled workers was also included in its ranking. The availability of rehabilitation centers, pet rescue and low uninsured rates also help. Just something to think about.
Aurora, Colorado made headlines when it was the site of the third largest mass shooting in the United States (sadly, there have been worse shootings since). However, just because one person had a complete disregard for human life, doesn't mean everyone in Aurora feels the same.
Aurora has ranked #24 in 'Caring for the Community' and for 'Caring in the Workforce.' Despite, the tragedy in 2012, Aurora has come together as a community providing a safe environment for the people of the city and making sure people are getting the help they need to thrive.
Denver, Colorado is all over the map when it comes to caring. They rank #50 in 'Caring for the Community' but #7 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable.' Meanwhile, Denver ranked #25 for 'Caring in the Workforce.'
Undoubtedly, lower poverty rates and a focus on family have helped Denver achieve its #15 spot but other factors like homeless sheltering and rehabilitation are also to be taken into consideration. Jobs in healthcare, teaching and emergency services also go a long way in showing people you care.
Scottsdale, Arizona ranks as one of the lowest as for 'Caring in the Workforce,' but don't let that fool you. At the same time, it ranks #4 in 'Caring for the Community' and #5 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable.'
Although the teachers may not care about their students (Just kidding! We're sure they care - a little), community efforts have helped people and their families stay out of poverty and gotten homeless people into shelters.
Gilbert, Arizona places only 88th when it comes to 'Caring in the Workforce' but that's only because they are devoting their energy to taking care of their kids. Gilbert has the second-lowest child poverty rate in the country.
This is in part because of what the people of Gilbert do for their communities and their children. Gilbert ranks #3 in 'Caring for the Community' and #8 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable.' It should also be noted that Gilbert is a huge advocate for animal rescue and pet adoption, evident by the many rescue shelters in the area.
Jersey City, New Jersey is pretty much in the middle as for 'Caring for the Community’ and 'Caring for the Vulnerable." But for 'Caring in the Workforce,' it places fifth, which more than makes up for it.
Jersey City is not volunteering the most hours nor even carpooling with coworkers. Instead, Jersey City is getting paid to help people. Teachers are looking after their students and not just their grades. Also factoring in 'Caring in the Workforce' are people with jobs like firefighters, counselors, paramedics, nurses and physicians.
Seattle, Washington is one of the most prominent liberal cities, so it's no surprise that it made the list. The question is how it made the list and just what the people of Seattle are doing for the betterment of man.
One thing Seattle can be proud of is that they have the fifth-lowest poverty rate in America. Additionally, Seattle does a good job in helping other vulnerable beings like animals, the homeless, the mentally and disabled persons, among others.
Chesapeake, Virginia consistently ranks in the top 25 in terms of 'Caring for the Community,' 'Caring for the Vulnerable' and 'Caring in the Workforce' and ranks as the 10th most caring city overall. Where it ranks best, however, is in 'Caring for the Community,' where it is placed as #8.
So how does Chesapeake show care for its community? Much of that love is thrown into volunteer work. Chesapeake has the fourth most volunteering hours per capita, which means a heck of a lot of people are donating their time to some worthy causes.
Minneapolis, Minnesota ranks about in the middle in terms of ‘Caring for the Community’ and 'Caring for the Vulnerable," ranking #35 and #34, respectively. "Caring in the Workforce," however, is a whole other story.
Currently, Minneapolis ranks #2 for "Caring in the Workforce,' behind only one city, which we'll get to later. In Minneapolis, you'll find the most residents working in community service jobs and social services, tied only with Boston and St. Paul. On top of this, Minneapolis has one of the highest percentages of people doing favors for neighbors.
Lincoln, Nebraska has shown some great balance when it comes to caring in the workforce and community, as well as caring for the vulnerable. Currently, the city ranks just #31 in 'Community' but has higher positions in 'Workforce' (#12) and 'Caring for the Vulnerable' (#14).
With these stats, Nebraska has earned its spot as the eighth-most caring city in America. By continuing to care for homeless people and animals, and donating to those in need, perhaps Lincoln can rank even higher in the future.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is showing a lot of care for its residents with top 20 'Caring in the Workforce' and 'Caring for the Community' positions. Currently, the city is placed #7 for its workforce and #15 for its community contributions.
Although Pittsburgh ranks as one of the worst for charitable donations, there are plenty of other ways to help your community. Teaching jobs, jobs in healthcare, volunteer work, and looking out for your neighbor are all excellent ways to do something for your community and they don't cost you anything other than a little time.
You should never ignore your neighbors as you never know when you might need a little help too. St. Paul, Minnesota is all about helping their fellow neighbor. They currently rank #5 in the highest percentage of the population doing favors for neighbors. Whether it's helping a new neighbor move in - or move out, lending a cup of sugar, or helping them around the house, showing your neighbors that you care will establish a great sense of community in your neighborhood and encourage others to give back.
St. Paul has placed #3 for 'Caring in the Workforce.' Much of this has to do with the fact that it has so many residents working in community and social services. It is currently tied with Boston and Minneapolis for first place in the 'Most Residents Working in Community & Social Services Per Capita.'
Virginia Beach in, well, Virginia ranks #13 in caring for the vulnerable, which is certainly nothing to frown at. But the city really makes a difference when it comes to 'Caring for the Community' – where it currently ranks #2! Well done!
In 'Caring for the Community,' factors such as crime, driving fatalities and DUIs are all considered and weighed along with good deeds like taking care of the environment and taking care of your fellow neighbors. One area where Virginia Beach did great work was in volunteer work, where it ranks #4 for the 'Most Volunteering Hours per Capita.'
Fremont, CA has an estimated population of around 241K but it's showing some of the best care for its community. Fremont ranks #2 in 'Caring for the Vulnerable' and ranks #5 in 'Caring for the Community.'
Considering charity work, donations, mental health care and environmental care, Fremont has made a huge impression on its community. Fremont has shown the most care, however, for its children, as the city has the lowest child poverty rate in the country. The poverty rate 18 times lower than the worst-ranked cities like Birmingham and Cleveland.
New York City is the most populated city in the country with an estimated 8,337,000 people living there. It's also one of the most caring cities in almost every regard, which is quite surprising considering how many people there are to care for. New York ranks the highest in 'Caring in the Workforce' - placing #4. As for 'Caring for the Vulnerable' and 'Caring for the Community,' New York ranks #12 and #11, respectively.
While these are not the highest rankings among the top 100 cities, it's important to note where New York truly excels. New York has the most teachers showing care for students' well-being than anywhere in the country. It's also in the top 5 cities with the most residents working in community and social services. To outsiders and travelers, New Yorkers may have a reputation for seeming rude, but these stats tell another story.
Madison, Wisconsin is only the second-largest city in Wisconsin when it comes to population (estimated to be about 259K), but it does have the biggest heart, which is why it's ranked #1 in 'Caring for the Community.' Meanwhile, Madison was ranked #15 in "Caring for the Vulnerable" and #11 in 'Caring in the Workforce.'
So how did Madison rank so high when it came to caring for the community? Numerous factors were considered, such as crime rate and driving fatalities, along with environmental contributions, charitable donations and volunteer work. Madison has also had its fair share of residents participating in fundraising compared to other communities. It particularly specializes in taking care of its children, having the lowest child poverty rates most teachers caring for their students' well-being.
Boston, Massachusetts is well-known as the birthplace of the American Revolution but you may not be aware that it's now leading the charge in terms of compassion. Although Boston ranks #14 in "Caring for the Community" and #10 in "Caring for the Vulnerable," Boston is without a doubt #1 in terms of "Caring in the Workforce." This means to say that Bostonians are the ones taking on the tough jobs that few of us want to do, but nonetheless, realize what these jobs provide for the community.
Teachers and counselors are showing care not just for students' educational success but their well-being. There are more nurses, physicians and mental health counselors per capita, and there are even more people providing community and social services. It's also worth noting that Boston has the highest percentage of sheltered homeless people compared to anywhere else, and Bostonians are also giving a lot more to charity. And while all of this sounds wonderful, there's always room for improvement, in Boston, and in your community too!
