Peace Corps announces 2025 top volunteer-producing states

WASHINGTON - Today, the Peace Corps released its 2025 rankings of the top volunteer-producing states across the United States.

"In 2025, Peace Corps volunteers from all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam shared their unique hometown perspectives with communities in the sixty countries where they serve," said Peace Corps Chief Executive Officer Paul Shea. "The Peace Corps offers U.S. citizens from all backgrounds an opportunity to make a powerful impact overseas while developing the skills they need for a global world. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of our volunteers and the families, friends, and communities that encourage and support them."

While California continues to rank No. 1 for overall volunteer production, Virginia moved up two slots into the No. 2 spot nationally for total volunteers. New York and Texas tied for No. 3 honors.

The nation's capital is the largest producer of volunteers per capita, with more than 4 volunteers per 100,000 citizens. Vermont took the No. 2 spot and New Hampshire ranked No. 3 on the Per Capita list.

Maryland and Washington, meanwhile, ranked as Top States for both per capita and overall volunteer production.

Below are the nation's top volunteer-producing states per capita and overall total volunteers for 2025. View the list of volunteer numbers from all 50 states here.

2025 Top States - Per Capita (# of volunteers per 100,000 residents)

1. District of Columbia - 4.62

2. Vermont - 3.71

3. New Hampshire - 2.44

4. Maryland - 2.09

4. Oregon - 2.09

6. Colorado - 2.02

7. Montana - 1.86

8. Massachusetts - 1.48

8. Washington - 1.48

10. Minnesota - 1.13

2025 Top States - Total Volunteers

1. California - 346

2. Virginia - 178

3. New York - 174

3. Texas - 174

5. Florida - 159

6. Maryland - 130

7. Colorado - 119

8. Illinois - 118

8. Washington - 118

10. Georgia - 115

*Peace Corps data is current as of September 30, 2025. Volunteers self-report their home state on their Peace Corps application.

Cultivating person-to-person connections at the grassroots level plays a critical role in extending American values overseas. Countries and communities around the world continue to partner with the Peace Corps as the agency aspires to attract and support 8,000 volunteers in service by September 30, 2030. Interested individuals are encouraged to visit peacecorps.gov to learn more about the Peace Corps and apply for service.