Mean Old NYC Actually Has A Heart Of Gold, Study Shows

NEW YORK — It may be rough around the edges, but New York City actually has a tender heart. A new WalletHub study named the Big Apple the nation's second-most "caring" city despite its reputation for meanness.

The personal finance website ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities based on 38 "indicators of a compassionate spirit" using data from various federal government agencies and other sources.

New York ranked No. 2 overall, falling right behind Madison, Wisconsin. The city took the top spot in WalletHub's "Caring for the Community" category, which included such factors as energy efficiency (in which New York City ranked No. 1) and the property crime rate (No. 4).

The study indicates New Yorkers are a charitable breed, as the city took top honors for per-capita online giving and Google search interest for "charitable donations" and ranked fifth for volunteering hours per capita.

New York City's high ranking may surprise some, given that Travel + Leisure named it the nation's unfriendliest city in 2015. The magazine may now want to consider Laredo, Texas for that distinction, as it ranked dead last on WalletHub's list.

New Yorkers seeking a little mercy could head across the river to Jersey City, New Jersey, which WalletHub ranked fifth in the nation, just below Lincoln, Nebraska at No. 3 and Pittsburgh at No. 4.

See WalletHub's top 10 "most caring" cities below, or read the full study here.

1. Madison, Wisconsin
2. New York City
3. Lincoln, Nebraska
4. Pittsburgh
5. Jersey City, New Jersey
6. Fremont, California
7. Boston
8. St. Paul, Minnesota
9. Virginia Beach, Virginia
10. San Jose, California

(Lead image: Volunteers distribute donated food into Thanksgiving meal boxes in November 2015 in New York City. Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)