Membership in Organizations

The degree to which residents are members of community organizations is one measure of the community’s social capital. In communities with high social capital, residents are able to draw upon one another as resources to help navigate through life's challenges. Membership in organizations helps foster the connections between people necessary for them to feel comfortable helping others in their community.

Religious groups are most often selected by area residents as the type of organization of which they are member. At 61 percent, this is nearly double the 34 percent belonging to charitable organizations, which has the next highest participation rate. Participation in religious organizations tends to increase with age.