Most Neighborly City in America
Neighbor-based rankings were based on key data points like volunteering, charitable giving, neighborly acts, and other important dimensions.
Crowning the list for the first time was Madison, WI., 2021's Most Neighborly City in America. Madison topped this year's list for a few reasons: It is ranked #1 as the happiest city in America. It also leads the nation in donations to nonprofits per 100,000 residents.
"Neighborhoods are the crux of our society, where we make friends, educate our children, and care for each other. Studies also show interacting with your neighbors and getting to know them results in lower levels of loneliness and worry," said Neighbor.com CEO Joseph Woodbury (pictured here with this story).
Woodbury spoke to attendees of David Burton's October "Neighboring 101" class about the rankings.
"When you get along with the people around you and know you, there is a mutual level of trust and expectations. It creates a feeling of camaraderie, builds community, and keeps everyone safer," said Woodbury.
The final list from Neighbor.com is representative of big cities, metro areas, small towns, and rural regions.
2021's
Ten Most Neighborly Cities in America
1.
Madison,
WI
2.
Rochester,
NY
3.
Portland,
OR
4.
Minneapolis,
MN
5.
Des
Moines, IA
6.
Washington,
D.C.
7.
Boston,
MA
8.
Seattle,
CA
9.
Pittsburgh,
PA
10. Milwaukee, WI
A review of charitable giving determined the Most Neighborly Cities rankings, nonprofit organizations, volunteering rates, happiness rankings, and most importantly—neighborly behaviors courtesy of Americorps data.
In addition to uncovering the Most Neighborly Cities, Neighbor surveyed 1,000 Americans to learn more about the qualities of a neighbor and what it means to be "neighborly." Survey results found the top qualities are:
Social -- Nearly two-thirds of respondents (61.5%) said they hang out with their neighbors at least a few times per year, and about one in three (29%) hang out with their neighbors weekly.
Empathetic -- More than half of respondents (53.9%) feel more concern for their neighbors because of the pandemic.
Helpful -- Most respondents (79.1%) have done at least one favor for a neighbor in the past year.
Reliable -- Most respondents (65.8%) have at least two neighbors they can rely on to water their plants or pick up their mail if they go out of town.
This survey by Woodbury's company is much more optimistic than other national studies over the past decade. That might be due to the impact of COVID, but it is more likely because of the small sample size or factors from self-reporting.
Neighbor is a community marketplace based in the Silicon Slopes of Lehi, Utah. The company connects people with unused space in their garages, attics, basements, and driveways to renters looking for affordable self-storage.
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