The 10 Most Neighborly US Cities in 2023

This year, Madison reclaims its seat in first place as the nation's friendliest city. The Wisconsin capital, it's home to politically active individuals, a booming university, plenty of opportunities and the nation's largest producer-only farmers' market in the nation. The city is also known for its connection to nature and great food (and, because it's Wisconsin, beer), making it a great place to meet the neighbors at a local beer garden or festival.

The Midwest is known as one of the friendliest places in the U.S., and this city delivers on that promise. Another university town, Minneapolis is home to countless scenic lakes, great food and entertainment, including Mall of America. This year, it ranks second in the nation for its volunteering and charitable giving.

Colorado Springs' residents rank highest for volunteering. After all, 69 percent of residents support a local organization through their time, earning it the third most neighborly city in the nation this year. The city is attractive for its year-round nature and adventure activities, making its real estate boom as one-time visitors search for full-time residency.

The fourth-most neighborly city on this list is an entirely new addition to the top 10. Sunny Sarasota earned its spot in fourth place because it's attracted the most people to become residents: it's increased its population by 3.4 percent between 2021 and 2022.

The Most Neighborly City of 2022 is now in fifth place this year. Rochester, New York scores high in charitable giving and volunteering, and the city nestled along scenic Lake Ontario is known for friendly residents, making it a great place to visit and live. 

Provo is known as one of the best places to start a business, attracting plenty of new residents from across the country, but it was also helped to sixth place this year due to its high rate of residents who volunteer. Cost of living in the sunny Utah city is also pretty affordable, too!

The tech-heavy city of Salt Lake City is the second Utah city on this list, ranking in seventh place overall for its safe neighborhoods, voter turnout and volunteering. It's also close to plenty of natural attractions and adventure activities, drawing plenty of fun-loving nature lovers.

The third city in Utah to make this list is Ogden, checking in at eighth place. It's the oldest city in the state, and is recognized for how 50 percent of all Odgen residents report that they support a local organization through volunteering. It's also recognized for its outdoor recreation opportunities.

The ninth-most neighborly city in the nation is Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. Its mild climate, booming economy, southern hospitality and diversity are attracting plenty of new residents, plus its 180 miles of greenway trails have earned this city the nickname "City of Oaks."

Rounding out the top 10 is Richmond, Virginia, home to incredible history, the state's government seat and a more affordable place to relocate, which has led the city to see an influx of 30,000 new residents between 2020 and 2022. It also ranks in the top ten for voter turnout.