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Cities Happiest With Their Neighbors

January 13, 2022
A smiling woman waves at the camera while drinking coffee on her balcony.

© FluxFactory - E+ / Getty Images

A pleasant neighbor can make homeowners happier, studies have found. But do certain cities and towns tend to be more neighborly than others? StorageCafe, a storage unit search site, surveyed nearly 11,000 Americans to gauge neighborliness across the country. They factored in satisfaction with neighbors, sense of community, involvement in community activities, and willingness to recommend the neighborhood to others.

Nationally, nearly half of Americans say they feel a strong sense of community, and 67% are happy with their neighbors.

But in some locales, residents are happier with their neighbors than in other places. Indianapolis topped the list as the most neighborly place in the U.S., according to the survey. More than half of residents surveyed in Indy say they’d recommend their neighborhood to other people. Columbus, Ohio; Houston; and Nashville, Tenn., also ranked high for their strong sense of community.

A bar chart showing the rankings of the most neighborly cities in the U.S. and what qualities they have.

Friendly neighbors aside, Americans say the following are the five features they love most about their neighborhoods:

  • Location: 36%
  • Quiet environment: 26%
  • Parks and recreation areas: 14%
  • Local infrastructure and services: 12%
  • Schools: 10%
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