U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 4. Volunteers by type of main organization for which volunteer activities were performed and selected characteristics,
September 2012
Percent distribution of volunteers by type of main organization (1)
Total Civic,
Characteristics in volun- polit- Educa- Envi- Hos- Social Sport,
September 2009 teers ical, tional ron- pital Pub- or hobby, Not
(thou- Total profes- or mental or lic Reli- commu- cul- Other deter-
sands) sional, youth or other safe- gious nity tural, mined
inter- ser- animal health ty service or arts
national vice care
Sex
Total, both sexes....................... 64,513 100.0 5.5 25.5 2.6 7.8 1.2 33.1 14.2 3.8 4.0 2.3
Men.................................. 27,238 100.0 6.8 23.8 2.5 6.2 1.9 32.9 14.8 4.5 4.4 2.2
Women................................ 37,274 100.0 4.6 26.7 2.7 9.0 .6 33.2 13.8 3.3 3.7 2.3
Age
Total, 16 years and over................ 64,513 100.0 5.5 25.5 2.6 7.8 1.2 33.1 14.2 3.8 4.0 2.3
16 to 24 years........................ 8,776 100.0 4.7 27.4 3.1 9.9 1.4 26.5 16.1 3.1 4.5 3.3
16 to 19 years..................... 4,644 100.0 4.2 30.9 2.4 8.0 .9 27.7 15.8 2.8 4.1 3.2
20 to 24 years..................... 4,132 100.0 5.2 23.4 3.8 12.0 2.0 25.1 16.5 3.4 5.0 3.5
25 years and over..................... 55,737 100.0 5.6 25.2 2.6 7.5 1.1 34.1 13.9 3.9 3.9 2.1
25 to 34 years..................... 9,513 100.0 4.2 31.7 3.2 8.3 1.6 27.9 14.3 3.2 3.5 2.0
35 to 44 years..................... 12,527 100.0 4.0 40.2 2.4 5.5 1.1 26.5 11.6 3.8 3.4 1.5
45 to 54 years..................... 12,777 100.0 4.9 28.6 2.5 7.5 1.0 33.0 12.8 3.7 3.8 2.2
55 to 64 years..................... 10,619 100.0 7.6 14.5 3.1 8.8 1.1 38.2 14.5 4.9 4.6 2.8
65 years and over.................. 10,301 100.0 7.8 7.5 1.8 7.9 .9 46.5 17.1 4.2 4.2 2.2
Race and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity
White................................... 53,778 100.0 5.7 25.1 2.8 8.2 1.3 32.3 14.3 4.0 4.0 2.2
Black or African American............... 6,316 100.0 4.5 24.6 1.2 5.3 .4 40.7 13.4 2.9 3.9 3.1
Asian................................... 2,524 100.0 4.1 31.4 1.7 7.8 - 34.0 12.2 2.7 3.3 2.8
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity............ 5,635 100.0 3.7 31.2 1.9 6.5 .8 35.0 12.3 2.8 3.0 2.8
Educational attainment (2)
Less than a high school diploma......... 2,177 100.0 3.6 23.2 .6 3.5 1.4 48.6 12.0 2.8 2.6 1.8
High school graduates, no college (3)... 10,527 100.0 5.1 21.4 2.9 7.0 1.7 40.0 13.5 3.3 3.3 1.8
Some college or associate degree ....... 15,832 100.0 5.5 25.2 2.3 7.8 1.4 34.5 13.9 3.3 4.2 2.0
Bachelor's degree and higher (4)........ 27,202 100.0 6.0 26.8 2.8 7.9 .7 30.5 14.3 4.7 4.1 2.3
Marital status
Single, never married................... 14,920 100.0 5.6 25.8 3.7 10.1 1.4 24.0 17.3 3.7 5.1 3.3
Married, spouse present................. 39,290 100.0 5.1 26.9 2.1 6.7 1.1 36.5 12.3 4.0 3.4 1.8
Other marital status (5)................ 10,302 100.0 6.7 19.6 3.0 8.7 1.2 33.3 16.9 3.5 4.4 2.5
Presence of own children
under 18 years (6)
Men:
No own children under 18 years old.... 18,248 100.0 7.9 16.4 3.1 7.1 2.1 34.3 17.2 4.3 5.1 2.6
With own children under 18 years old.. 8,991 100.0 4.6 38.8 1.2 4.4 1.5 30.3 10.0 4.8 3.0 1.4
Women:
No own children under 18 years old.... 23,857 100.0 5.7 15.8 3.4 11.1 .7 36.4 16.0 3.9 4.4 2.7
With own children under 18 years old.. 13,417 100.0 2.5 46.2 1.5 5.3 .5 27.6 10.0 2.3 2.5 1.6
Employment status
Civilian labor force.................... 44,974 100.0 5.5 27.4 2.9 7.8 1.4 30.9 14.0 4.0 3.9 2.3
Employed.............................. 42,083 100.0 5.4 27.6 2.9 7.9 1.4 30.9 13.8 4.1 3.8 2.3
Full time (7)....................... 32,568 100.0 5.6 27.7 2.8 8.2 1.4 30.0 14.1 4.2 3.8 2.3
Part time (8)....................... 9,515 100.0 5.0 27.2 3.2 6.8 1.1 33.8 12.8 4.1 3.8 2.2
Unemployed............................ 2,891 100.0 5.8 24.6 2.3 6.5 1.9 31.7 16.8 2.7 5.5 2.3
Not in the labor force.................. 19,539 100.0 5.6 21.1 2.1 8.0 .6 38.1 14.8 3.4 4.1 2.3
1 Main organization is defined as the organization for which the volunteer worked the most hours during the year. See the
Technical Note for more details.
2 Data refer to persons 25 years and over.
3 Includes persons with a high school diploma or equivalent.
4 Includes persons with bachelor's, professional, and doctoral degrees.
5 Includes divorced, separated, and widowed persons.
6 Own children include sons, daughters, stepchildren, and adopted children. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren,
and other related and unrelated children.
7 Usually work 35 hours or more a week at all jobs.
8 Usually work less than 35 hours a week at all jobs.
NOTE: Data on volunteers relate to persons who performed unpaid volunteer activities for an organization at any point from
September 1, 2011, through the survey period in September 2012. Estimates for the above race groups (white, black or African
American, and Asian) do not sum to totals because data are not presented for all races. Persons whose ethnicity is identified as
Hispanic or Latino may be of any race.
