OfferUp, the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S. for local buyers and sellers, recently released the findings of its 2020 Good Neighbor Report. Timed to deliver context around how Americans are interacting during National Good Neighbor Day on Sept. 28, the annual report provides background into how OfferUp’s community of over 20 million monthly users have interacted this year despite the limitations prescribed by the Coronavirus pandemic. OfferUp facilitates millions of meet-ups per year, and after each, both buyers and sellers can rate the quality of their experiences. This collective data provides insights into how American communities are demonstrating neighborly habits through person-to-person interactions.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota is the Most Generous City in the Country
Even though social distancing and stay-at-home orders have affected the ways people manage in-person transactions, Americans have still found ways to support one another during tough times. According to OfferUp, communities big and small are giving more generously, as evidenced by a 22.7% increase in free items posted to the marketplace this year. Since January, OfferUp has seen an increase in people donating free items, including books, toys, and bicycles, to their neighbors out of a desire to help their community.
OfferUp also analyzed the behaviors of buyers and sellers across the U.S. and found that Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is the most generous city in the country, with the greatest increase in free items given from sellers to buyers since the pandemic. Following closely behind are Fargo-Valley City, N.D.; Bluefield-Beckley-Oak Hill, W. Va.; Amarillo, Texas; and Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Ill.
“Despite the uncertainty of the economy this year, people are engaging in record-levels of generosity by donating items that have been hard to find and are in high demand due to the pandemic,” said Nick Huzar, CEO and co-founder of OfferUp. “It’s been incredibly encouraging to see Americans come together as a community and support each other, and I hope that we will see this level of neighborly support continue to grow.”
San Diego Is the Friendliest City in America for the Second Year in a Row
OfferUp buyers and sellers have also continued to prioritize friendliness in their in-person interactions. OfferUp is the only mobile marketplace that features a fully integrated profile and rating system where buyers and sellers can rate each other on the quality of communication, reliability, and friendliness. Since January, ratings have increased across all of these categories, including being friendly (+37.9%), arriving on time (punctuality) (+37.2%), being reliable (+36.3%), and being communicative (+35.2%).
According to these ratings, San Diego is the friendliest city in the U.S. for the second year in a row. In San Diego, 81% percent of OfferUp users who were rated this year have been rated “Friendly” at least once by another user compared to the national average of 75%. Rounding out the top five friendliest cities are Seattle, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and Palm Springs, Calif. Washington is the friendliest state, followed by Nevada, Arizona, California, and Hawaii.
OfferUp data also ranked the highest-rated cities in America for:
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Communicativeness: Glendive, Mont.; Seattle; Phoenix; Palm Springs, Calif.; Las Vegas
- Punctuality: San Diego; Seattle; Los Angeles; San Antonio; Palm Springs, Calif.
- Reliability: Las Vegas; Phoenix; Honolulu, Hawaii; Portland, Ore.; Norfolk, Va.
Neighborliness is at the core of OfferUp’s company mission, with a focus on fostering relationships between buyers and sellers in their communities. Earlier this year, OfferUp released the results of its 2020 Recommerce Report, which found that parents are deeply invested in their community and are finding new ways to support each other during this unprecedented time. 37% of parents surveyed by OfferUp have volunteered to help out a fellow parent this year by donating their time or kids’ supplies.
