MONTPELIER, Vt. — The state of Vermont is continuing to be among the top states in the country in the per capita production of Peace Corps volunteers, the Peace Corps said.

The latest statistics released Wednesday for 2019 show that Vermont, with a per capita rate of 8.1 volunteers per 100,000 residents, is only behind the District of Columbia, which had a rate of 18.2 volunteers per 100,000.

Vermont has ranked among the top five states since 2011.

Rounding out the top five states and District of Columbia, are Montana, at 5.1 volunteers per 100,000 residents; Virginia, 4.5; and Maryland, 4.3. New Hampshire ranks seventh, followed by Maine.

Currently, there are 51 Vermonters serving abroad in the Peace Corps. Since the Peace Corps was founded in 1961, 1,629 Vermont volunteers have served abroad. Nationally, the Burlington-South Burlington metropolitan area ranks fourth in the country for the number of volunteers per capita.

“The domestic dividend of Peace Corps service cannot be overstated,” Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen said in a statement. “Across the United States, communities continue to experience the benefits of volunteers returning home with new skills and perspectives. I am grateful to these communities for instilling a sense of service in their citizen.”