Having neighbors can be a blessing as well as a curse. My neighbors are, to say the least, interesting. They are really nice, so I did luck out. But still…there are questionable moments.

It’s fairly safe to say that over the pandemic most of us got to know our neighbors quite a bit better. While some communities are far from nice, others are all smiles and helping hands. Two North Carolina cities made the top 10 list of most neighborly communities.

In a recent report by StorageCafe, 11,000 people were surveyed from across the US to find out the cities that best embody the neighborly spirit. They based their survey on four essential factors that pretty much epitomize what it means to be a good neighbor: satisfaction with neighbors, sense of community, involvement in community activities, and willingness to recommend their neighborhood to others.

You’re likely to have neighbors who look out for you if you live in Raleigh, whether they do you a favor now and then or volunteer in the community. Raleigh is ranked fifth in its ability to foster good neighborliness. And it’s not the only North Carolina city to make the top 10 list – Charlotte also ranked 10th.

• 10. Charlotte, NC

  Local neighborhoods seem to be united by a local desire to be involved and help out others in need, as 45% of Raleigh residents and 38% of Charlotte claim they enjoy a strong sense of community. The cities’ spirit of civic engagement is also high, with 59% of Raleigh people and 69% of Charlotteans choosing to volunteer, donate to charity or clean up public spaces.

• 9. Orlando, FL

  I mean DISNEY, the happiest place on Earth, right?

• 8. San Francisco, CA

• 7. Miami, FL

• 6. Nashville, TN

  In Nashville, TN, about 72% of people report being happy with their neighbors. And that’s no small feat. Perhaps they owe some of that high satisfaction with their friends across the fence to the great community bond the city boasts.

  In fact, Nashville shares the same spot with Houston on the podium for the strongest sense of community. With over 61% of locals claiming there’s a strong sense of community where they live, it’s no wonder Nashville has the largest share of residents (71%) recommending their neighborhood to other people. Perhaps Nashville should add “Please move here, we’re nice!” under their city welcome sign.

• 5. Raleigh, NC

  About 75% of Raleigh residents and 70% of Charlotte residents report being happy with their neighbors. Almost 70% of Raleigh locals would recommend their neighborhood to other people too, and 65% of Charlotte locals would do the same. For our survey respondents, location wins hands down as the thing they most love about their neighborhood.

• 4. Minneapolis, MN

• 3. Houston, TX

  Houston is a place Mr. Rogers would happily call home thanks to the high reported rates of friendly neighbors. Overall, it ranks third among the 30 cities for community neighborliness. Locals are especially happy with those living next to them and take being neighborly seriously.

• 2. Columbus, OH

  Following closely behind, Columbus, OH, comes off as a particularly neighborly US city. This is based on a combination of factors including neighbor satisfaction, sense of community, community involvement, and how well recommended a city is.

• 1. Indianapolis, IN

  As it turns out, Indianapolis is the most neighborly place in the U.S. and there are a lot of reasons for that. Nearly three out of four residents – roughly 74% of locals – are happy with their neighbors. Additionally, Indy boasts a strong sense of community, with 58% of locals feeling satisfied with what their neighborhood has to offer. The city’s spirit of civic engagement is also high, with 65% of people choosing to volunteer, donate to charity or clean up public spaces. More than half of Indy residents would recommend their neighborhood to other people too.

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