Tallahassee, Florida- August 20, 2012

Americans are giving people. In 2006, Americans donated nearly $300 billion dollars to charity. And Tallahassee residents are no exception.

"People want to help people. They want to know that at the end of the day they made a difference in someones life," says Heather Mitchell president of the United Way of the Big Bend.

Data released by Chronicle of Philanthropy, an organization that tracks charitable donations, shows people in Tallahassee give about 5.9 percent of their income to charity, compared to the average American who gives about 4.7 percent. It's a trend Heather Mitchell, has seen first-hand president of the United Way of the Big Bend.

"The same feeling of community, the same feeling of 'we are here to help our friends and neighbors,' just doesn't exist like it does in Tallahassee," says Mitchell.

It's the people with the least who are donating the most. In Tallahassee, people making less than $100,000 donate about 7.7 percent to charity. While those making more donate about 5.3 percent.

"People see that need, I think they feel that need. They all known someone who's been affected by what's happened in the economy and they want to be able to try and provide assistance in any way that they can," says Mitchell.

The data shows on average that most Tallahassee residents give around $3500 a year to charity.

According to the data, people in Utah give the most- about 10.6 percent of their income goes to charity. And New Hampshire residents give the least- only about 2.5 percent of their discretionary income goes to charity

The study is based on charitable donation figures provided by the IRS.