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A friendly block can make daily life easier. Redfin ranked the U.S. cities where neighbors help each other most
Megan Bucknall / Unsplash
A community feels different when neighbors actually know each other. People who trade phone numbers with the family next door, watch each other's homes during trips or stop to talk during a daily walk build a support system they can call on when something goes wrong, whether that's a power outage, a medical emergency, or just a bad week. Researchers who study social connection have linked strong neighborhood ties to lower stress and better mental health, and residents in tightly connected areas report feeling safer walking around after dark. That sense of security grows from repeated contact with people nearby, from borrowed tools, watched houses, and quick check-ins after a storm.
Nationwide, the ordinary habits that build those ties have been declining for years. Survey data from the Census Bureau's Volunteering and Civic Life Survey shows participation in local clubs, civic groups, and neighborhood associations has fallen across most of the country since 2019, even as home prices have made people less likely to move once they settle somewhere. Remote work has also changed the rhythm of a typical day for millions of people, replacing office friendships with more time at home and, for many, more contact with whoever lives closest. At the same time, housing costs increasingly determine whether young families and new residents stay in a city long enough to become part of its neighborhoods because a $2,000 mortgage payment leaves little room for socializing outside the home.
