Catalogue for Philanthropy's 2004 Generosity Index uses bad methodology to grossly exaggerate the generosity of poor states.
Mississippi households earning $33,754 a year and donating $4,484 is so absurd, I checked CFP’s website for details.
They average income from every tax return, but charitable donations only from returns that itemize them. Only 21% of
Mississippi returns itemize donations, compared to 31% nationwide. CFP's 15 "most generous" states average 23%,
while the 15 "least generous" average 35%. The fewer who itemize, the more generous a state appears, which makes no sense.
Nineteen of the 20 states with the lowest percentage itemizing donations voted for Bush.

I just surfed into this interesting angle on "who's more generous" and don't intend to feign a lot of statistical knowkedge, but have a question or two to throw in the mix. I live in a very giving household - both my wife & I have dedicated our lives to the Human Services field - but wouldn't say that we've donated that much money to charitable causes. We consider our very modest salaries to be a form of "donation", but such things don't qualify as "declarable contributions." I know people who on their own prepare food and personally give it to homeless people on the streets of Manhattan and other like endeavors... people in our profession(s) therefore might thus be likely to score low as big MONETARY donors. Another thought/question: There are charitable causes, and then there are charitable causes. Exactly which charities did people have in mind when they claimed X number of dollars on their tax returns in those red states? The offering plate at church on Sunday mornings? Membership fees to the NRA and similar conservative "causes"? I find the idea of people in "red states" being somehow more generous to be highly suspicious.

Just to clarify -- these statistics are based on charitable donations as listed on tax returns. The results are interesting and suggestive, but do keep in mind that:
1) It is an open question whether all groups of people are equally honest in listing contributions, and whether all groups of people are equally thorough in listing contributions.
2) Tax deductible charity is one kind of generosity, but it does not define generosity. People give their time to others, people give their money to needy people they know, people tip generously, people offer sincere appreciation and make other people feel needed, etc.

Not all of this is quantifiable, but even if it were, I have no idea whether it would change those rankings or not. Just to point out that there is a wider world of generosity than this reflects.

Note MS and AR number 1 and 2 in giving, Ms and AR consistiently have lowest per capita income.This data jives with my personal experience. Having worked in southern hospitals for 30 years,when United Way giving results come in Housekeeping departments allwaysare number 1 givers ,higher paid depts. give much less.God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith.