In a new ranking from WalletHub, our very own Virginia Beach was named the number one most caring city in the United States. The analysis looked at such key factors as volunteering hours per capita to share of income donated to charity. In all, 38 different factors were taken into account and separated into three categories to find a ranking: caring for the community, caring for the vulnerable, and caring for the workforce.
The ranking looked at the 100 largest cities in America. Two other Hampton Roads cities made the ranking – Chesapeake (#7), Norfolk (#35) as the only other Virginia cities on the list.
- Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Boston, Massachusettes
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Gilbert, Arizona
- Fremont, California
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach is the most caring city in 2025, in large part because its residents rank first in the nation for volunteering hours. The city also has the fourth-highest share of residents who fundraise or sell items to raise money for charity.Despite its status as a party city, Virginia Beach actually does a great job keeping residents safe. It has the second-lowest violent crime rate in the country and the 12th-lowest property crime rate. This indicates that people care about their neighbors. The city also has the sixth-lowest adult poverty rate and 13th-lowest child poverty rate.
Finally, people in Virginia Beach search Google for terms like “charitable organizations” and “charitable donations” more frequently than people in many other cities. This shows that people are actively seeking ways to help others.
