Neighbors are becoming more important since the COVID-19 outbreak began. Sixty-nine percent of Americans surveyed say they’ve gotten to know their neighbors better during the pandemic. And 65% of Americans say they’ve made an effort to be more friendly than usual, according to a new poll of 2,500 Americans from Improvenet, a home remodeling resource.
The neighborhood is often a big factor when shopping for a home, but the neighbors themselves and a neighborly feel may be a more important factor now.
Nearly one in four Americans say they frequently socialize with their neighbors, while 86% get together with them at least occasionally, the survey shows. Amid the pandemic, 67% of respondents say they’ve offered help in some way to their neighbors; 62% say they’ve received the same offer.
Improvenet surveyed Americans about their experiences with neighbors in October to also determine where the friendliest neighbors in America tend to live—that is where Americans report socializing with their neighbors the most frequently. These are the areas that topped their list:
- Los Angeles
- New York
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Houston
- Columbus, Ohio
- Austin, Texas
- Chicago
- Las Vegas
- Atlanta
- San Jose, Calif.
- Indianapolis
- Minneapolis
- Portland, Ore.
- San Antonio, Texas
Survey respondents reported that in the following cities neighbors were the most likely to offer help during the pandemic: Los Angeles, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and San Diego.
Source: “New Study Reveals America’s Most Friendly Neighbors,” Improvenet.com (2020)
