Chattanooga ranks well in generosity, according to new report
Chattanooga typically makes lists involving outdoor activities or places to retire, but now, the city has been ranked high for its generosity.
Out of 366 cities, Philanthopy.com ranked Chattanooga 74th in giving. Total contributions equaled $304.1 million in 2008.
The study is based on the most recent available IRS information from United States residents who itemized their deductions. It only examines taxpayers who earned $50,000 or more in 2008.
According to the study, Chattanooga residents who made $50,000 or more ranked 25th out of 366 in giving percentages by contributing 7.3 percent of income in 2008.
Tennessee ranks 16th out of 51 in total contributions, according to the study, with $2.7 billion in giving.
Local tourism leaders say that good publicity for Chattanooga translates into more visitors to the area.
In the past year, Chattanooga has been featured by countless publications.
In January, The New York Times listed Chattanooga as one of the top 45 places to go in 2012.
The Scenic City landed at No. 25 on the list, which also includes locations such as Antarctica, Wales, Morocco, Finland, London and Tokyo.
Chattanooga has also recently gotten mentions on The Today Show, Taste of the South magazine and Southern Living, which has a writer who declared a "city crush" on Chattanooga.
In May, CNBC featured Chattanooga in a story about manufacturing resurgence.
Former nonprofit CreateHere is the latest local organization to garner national publicity when FastCompany.com featured the organization this month in an article called “How Chattanoogans Partied Their Way to a Cleaner, Safer, Richer City."
