Who Donates More: Rich or Poor? The Surprising Truth Behind Charity Giving

When you think about who gives more to charity, your first thought might be the wealthy. Billionaires posting about their foundations. Celebrities hosting galas. But here’s the twist: the people who give the largest share of their income? They’re not on Forbes lists. They’re the ones working two jobs, skipping meals, and still putting something aside for someone else.

The Myth of the Generous Rich

It’s easy to assume the rich give more because they have more. And yes, they give larger dollar amounts. In 2025, the top 1% of U.S. earners donated over $120 billion total. That sounds huge. But when you look at what percentage of their income goes out the door, the picture changes. The top 1% gave about 2.2% of their income to charity. That’s generous, sure-but not extraordinary when you consider they make 20 times what the average household earns.

Meanwhile, households earning under $25,000 a year gave an average of 4.3% of their income. That’s nearly double. Why? Because giving isn’t about surplus. It’s about solidarity. People who’ve known hardship understand what it means to need help. They’ve been there. And they remember.

Where the Money Really Comes From

Data from the Giving USA Foundation and the Charities Aid Foundation shows a consistent pattern across countries. In the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia, low-income households consistently donate a higher percentage of their income than high-income households. In the U.K., families earning under £20,000 gave 3.8% of their income on average in 2024. Those earning over £150,000 gave 2.7%.

And it’s not just cash. Low-income donors are more likely to give time, food, or used items. A single mother working nights might not write a check, but she shows up at the food bank every Saturday. She donates her extra clothes. She helps organize the school supply drive. These aren’t recorded in annual reports, but they matter just as much.

Why the Rich Give Less (Proportionally)

It’s not that wealthy people don’t care. They do. But their giving often follows different patterns. Many give through donor-advised funds, private foundations, or estate planning. These are strategic, sometimes tax-driven, and rarely tied to immediate need. They’re designed to last decades, not help someone tonight.

For people with tight budgets, giving is immediate. It’s reactive. It’s personal. When your neighbor loses their job, you bring them soup. When the local shelter runs out of blankets, you drive there with your old ones. There’s no middleman. No tax receipt. Just human connection.

Also, wealth changes how people see the world. The more you have, the more you believe you can solve problems alone. The less you have, the more you know you need each other. That mindset shapes giving.

Religion, Culture, and the Habit of Giving

Religious communities play a huge role. In the U.S., evangelical Christians and Black Protestant congregations give the highest percentages of income-often over 5%. Many of these communities are working-class. Tithing isn’t optional. It’s part of identity. Same in Muslim communities: Zakat, the mandatory 2.5% donation, is paid by people across income levels. The poorest Muslims often pay it first, even if it means going without.

In Scotland, where I live, church donations and community collections still drive a lot of giving. In Edinburgh’s West End, a single mother on housing benefit gave £10 last month to the local food pantry. She said, “I got help once. I can’t forget that.”

The Hidden Cost of Not Seeing This

When charities focus only on big donors, they miss the real engine of generosity. Nonprofits that rely on small, regular donors have higher retention rates and more stable funding. The $5 monthly donor who gives for five years gives more than someone who writes a one-time $500 check.

And when we only celebrate the rich, we send a message: only those with excess can be truly generous. That’s wrong. It’s not about how much you have. It’s about what you’re willing to share. The person who gives 10% of their $20,000 income is giving more in real terms than the one who gives 1% of their $2 million.

What This Means for Charities

If you run a nonprofit, stop chasing only the big checks. Build relationships with low-income donors. Make giving easy: monthly text donations, cash boxes at corner shops, volunteer hours that count as contributions. Track percentage of income given, not just dollar amounts. Celebrate the grandmother who gives $5 every payday. She’s the backbone of your mission.

And if you’re thinking about your own giving? Don’t wait until you’re rich. Start now. Even $5 a week adds up. More than that-it builds a habit of care. And that habit? It’s contagious.

The Bigger Picture

We talk about inequality a lot. But we rarely talk about how the least wealthy among us are the most generous. That’s not a flaw. It’s a strength. It’s the quiet, daily act of choosing community over comfort. It’s saying, “I have little, but I’m not alone-and neither are you.”

So who donates more? The answer isn’t in bank statements. It’s in the stories we don’t hear. In the hands that pass the plate at church. In the backpacks filled with snacks for kids who don’t eat lunch. In the person who gives what they can, because they know what it means to have nothing.