Charlottesville, Virginia, Ranks No. 2 among Peace Corps’ Top Volunteer-Producing Metropolitan Areas Per Capita in 2017
Today, Peace Corps announced that Charlottesville, Virginia, ranks No. 2 among metropolitan areas with the highest number of Peace Corps volunteers per capita, with 9.9 volunteers per 100,000 residents. In total, there are 20 Charlottesville resident currently serving around the world, returning Charlottesville to the rankings after a six year hiatus.
“Peace Corps volunteers come from all corners of our nation to create grassroots level change in our world,” said Peace Corps Chief Executive Officer Sheila Crowley. “Volunteers share their hometown values and perspectives with the host communities they serve, an intercultural exchange that leaves a legacy of peace and friendship. We are deeply grateful to the extraordinary communities in the U.S. which produce citizens with such a strong sense of purpose.”
There are 352 volunteers from the Commonwealth of Virginia currently serving worldwide and 7,917 Virginians have served in the Peace Corps since the agency’s founding in 1961. Virginia volunteers are among the more than 230,000 Americans who have served around the world in areas such as agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health and youth in development volunteers since 1961.
Prior to accepting an English educator position in the Republic of Georgia, Peace Corps volunteer Daniel Perry’s roots were sown in Charlottesville.
“Charlottesville is my hometown. I grew up there and it is where my parents and many of my friends live,” says Perry.
Thet Win, currently serving as a volunteer in Mongolia, attributes most of her development and strong ties to Charlottesville to her arrival to the area from Myanmar in early 2000.
“Despite being born in Myanmar, I moved to Charlottesville with my family in 2006. I consider Charlottesville my home because I was able to develop a life there with my family. I built strong relationships throughout my high school life with many friends and within the community,” Win mentions of her days in Charlottesville.
The Peace Corps is unique among service organizations because our volunteers live and work at the community level. Service in the Peace Corps is a life-defining, hands-on leadership experience that offers volunteers the opportunity to travel to the farthest corners of the world and make a lasting difference in the lives of others. Applicants can apply to specific programs by visiting the Peace Corps website and connecting with a recruiter.
Below find the nation’s top 10 volunteer-producing states and metropolitan areas for 2017. View the list of volunteer numbers from all 50 states here.
2017 Top States – Per Capita (# of volunteers per 100,000 residents)
1. District of Columbia – 8.8
2. Vermont– 6.7
3. Montana – 4.9
4. Oregon – 4.3
4. Rhode Island – 4.3
6. Virginia – 4.2
7. Maryland – 4.1
7. Washington – 4.1
9. Maine – 4.0
10. Colorado – 3.9
10. Minnesota – 3.9
2017 Top States – Total Volunteers
1. California – 873
2. New York – 485
3. Florida – 355
4. Virginia – 352
5. Texas – 327
6. Illinois – 325
7. Washington – 300
8. Pennsylvania – 296
9. Michigan – 266
10. Maryland – 250
2017 Top Metropolitan Areas – Per Capita (# of volunteers per 100,000 residents)
1. Missoula, MT – 11.9
2. Charlottesville, VA – 9.9
3. Ithaca, NY – 9.8
3. Boulder, CO – 9.8
5. Fort Collins-Loveland, CO – 9.7
6. Burlington-South Burlington, VT – 9.5
7. Olympia, WA – 7.9
8. Madison, WI – 7.4
9. Ann Arbor, MI – 7.3
10. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 7.2
2017 Top Metropolitan Areas – Total Volunteers
1. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA – 418
2. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV – 403
3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA – 273
4. Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI – 258
5. Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH– 182
6. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA – 175
7. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI – 174
8. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD – 154
9. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA – 147
10. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA – 126
*Peace Corps data current as of September 30, 2017. The metropolitan area data used to determine Peace Corps’ rankings are derived from the most current U.S. Census Bureau “Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area” data. Volunteers self-report their home city and state on their Peace Corps application.
About the Peace Corps: The Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad on behalf of the United States to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in education, health, community economic development, agriculture, environment and youth development. Through their Peace Corps experience, volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a life-long commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today’s global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 230,000 Americans of all ages have served in 141 countries worldwide. For more information, visit and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.