Finding people who live near you on Facebook can be useful for connecting with neighbors, old friends who have moved back to town, or new friends with shared interests. Here are some tips on how to find and connect with local Facebook users in your area.
Use the Search Bar
The easiest way to find Facebook friends nearby is to use the search bar. Simply type in the name of the city or neighborhood you want to search in and select “People” from the dropdown menu. This will show results for any Facebook users who have listed that location in their profile. You can then look through the results and send friend requests to anyone you want to connect with.
Use the “People Nearby” Feature
Facebook has a “People Nearby” feature that allows you to discover users located close to you. To access it:
- Click on the “Friends” tab in the shortcut bar at the top
- In the left sidebar, click “People Nearby”
- You’ll see a list of Facebook users near your location who you are not already friends with
- Browse through the list and send friend requests to anyone you want to connect with
The “People Nearby” tool is a quick and easy way to find potential friends who live in your neighborhood or city.
Search Within Groups
Joining local community groups on Facebook can help you meet people nearby. Search for groups related to your city, neighborhood, or nearby attractions. Once you’ve joined some local groups, you can browse through members and connect with those who seem to share common interests or experiences.
Some ideas for local groups to join:
- Neighborhood, city, or regional groups – i.e. “Downtown Denver Neighbors”
- Community groups – i.e. “Families of Capitol Hill”
- Hobby groups – i.e. “Denver Hiking Club”
- School alumni groups – i.e. “Jefferson High School Class of 2015”
Search Your Friends Lists
Chances are some of your existing Facebook friends or contacts live right in your area. Search through your list of friends and acquaintances and see if anyone seems local based on where they went to school, where they work, or other location tags.
Some tips for finding local friends:
- Check friend’s profile pages for local schools, employers, or cities listed
- Look for any local locations tagged in their posts and photos
- Search your list by school or employer to see who went to the same place locally
Once you’ve identified existing contacts who seem to live nearby, send them a message to say hi and ask if they want to meet up locally!
Use Location Tags
When you post status updates, photos, or check-ins, always add your location. This tags your post with the local area. Friends who do the same will have their posts visible to each other.
Ways to tag location:
- Check-in at local businesses, landmarks, or events
- Tag yourself at a location when uploading photos
- Select your neighborhood or city from the location dropdown when posting a status
The more consistently you do this, the easier it will be for new and existing friends to realize you live nearby.
Connect Your Address Book
If you connect your email and phone contacts to Facebook, it can search your contacts for people who are already on Facebook. This allows you to easily find and connect with friends in your address book who use Facebook.
To connect your contacts:
- Go to your Facebook Settings
- Select “Contacts” in the left sidebar
- Choose “Find Friends” and select “Contacts”
- Upload your email contacts and/or connect your phone contacts
Facebook will cross-check your contacts against its user base and recommend friends for you to add. Likely some of these will be local contacts you can reconnect with.
Attend Local Events
Local events posted on Facebook are a great way to meet up with people who live nearby. Search for upcoming events in your area that match your interests.
Some types of local events to look for:
- Concerts or shows
- Festivals and fairs
- Farmer’s markets
- Classes or workshops
- Sports games or leagues
- Neighborhood association events
Attend events that look interesting and interact with fellow attendees. Adding friends who you meet at local events is an easy way to build community.
Join Marketplace Groups
Facebook Marketplace and local selling/buying groups can connect you with people in your area. Join Marketplace groups for your neighborhood, city, or region.
Some tips for finding locals on Marketplace:
- Search for items located closest to you first
- When messaging sellers or buyers, ask if they live nearby
- Check profiles of sellers/buyers for local schools, employers etc
- Join hyperlocal groups like “Downtown Yardsale”
Connecting over buying and selling can lead to finding friends nearby who share common interests.
Follow Local Pages
Pages for businesses, events, news outlets, and personalities in your area can lead you to local friends.
Some local pages to follow:
- Shops, restaurants, cafes, etc in your neighborhood
- Local news and media outlets
- Venues or entertainment spots
- Parks, trails, recreation areas
- Community leaders or local “celebrities”
Follow these pages and get involved by commenting, posting, and reacting. Interact with other commenters who seem local as well.
Join Neighborhood Groups
Neighborhood-specific groups like block clubs, apartment resident groups, etc are a great way to connect with those who literally live right around you.
Some examples include:
- “Spring Brook Gardens Neighborhood Watch”
- “Oakridge Oaks Apartment Residents”
- “Downtown Denver Highrise Owners Association”
Join these hyperlocal groups to receive updates, participate in discussions, and get to know your literal next-door neighbors.
Conclusion
Finding people who live nearby on Facebook simply takes using the tools available in creative ways. Searching by location, connecting contacts, joining local groups, following area pages, and tagging your posts can all help you meet and connect with people in your neighborhood and city.
The benefit of friending local users is that it makes it easy to eventually meet up at community events, help each other out, discuss local issues, and build an on-the-ground community.