From staying warm in the winter to keeping the lights on during a storm, home energy is a foundational part of neighborhood life. On Nextdoor, that connection is especially visible in the feed, where neighbors share advice on rising utility costs, troubleshoot power outages, and recommend local services to one another.
New research from Nextdoor's January 2026 Home Utilities Insights Report shows that while neighbors are more motivated than ever to optimize their energy usage, they are often overwhelmed by complexity and are looking for trusted local guidance. For energy companies and smart home brands, this creates a unique opportunity to move beyond being a "faceless provider" to a trusted community partner.
Neighbors are significantly more proactive about energy management than the general population. On Nextdoor, interest in saving energy is a standard household priority, with 90% of neighbors expressing interest in reducing their usage last year.
Implication for advertisers: Treat Nextdoor as a high-intent channel. Due to the fact that neighbors already "leaned-in" to saving, brands can focus less on creating demand and more on providing the specific tools and guidance to help them achieve their goals.
Neighbors are highly diligent about monitoring their expenses — 86% review their energy bills in detail most months or every month. However, a significant "clarity gap" remains with 44% of neighbors agreeing that their utility bill is difficult to understand.
With 60% of neighbors reporting that their average utility bill is higher than last year — averaging $330 per month — the frustration of a confusing bill is a major barrier to brand trust.
Implication for advertisers: Close the gap through transparent education. Advertisers should leverage the fact that neighbors are already looking at their bills by providing clear, visual breakdowns of common line items. This shifts the perception from a faceless utility to a transparent resource.
Financial ROI outshines environmental impact
While sustainability is a value, the most powerful incentive for change is financial stability. Neighbors are motivated primarily for financial reasons (62%), which significantly outweighs environmental concerns (18%).
Neighbors prioritize habits and upgrades they perceive as the most effective for their wallets.
Implication for advertisers: Lead with financial ROI. To maximize engagement, align messaging with monthly savings and use value-driven copy like "stop paying for energy you aren't using" to capitalize on neighbors being primarily motivated by financial reasons.
Smart devices are no longer "early adopter" gadgets, they are core household management tools for the modern neighbor. Currently 2 in 3 neighbors
Implication for advertisers: Expand the smart ecosystem. Strategy should focus on highlighting how integrated devices, such as smart thermostats, automatically mitigate "bill shock" by optimizing usage without constant manual effort.
When neighbors consider big-ticket investments like solar panels, community trust is the ultimate driver. Neighbor recommendations (53%) are nearly as influential as solar sales reps (60%).
The drivers for these investments are both practical and emotional:
Implication for advertisers: Leverage social proof as a creative engine. Use "neighbor spotlights" to showcase residents who have seen real savings, and focus solar/battery messaging on energy independence and outage protection.
Bringing it all together, here’s how to turn these insights into action:
Don't wait for a heatwave, maintain a baseline presence year-round so your brand is the established "home expert" before seasonal usage spikes hit the feed.
Use Nextdoor's geographic targeting to match specific programs to the right homes — such as promoting grid-tie incentives in solar heavy zones or weatherization partnerships in older residential pockets.
3. Leverage the "neighbor effect"
Since peer recommendations (53%) are nearly as powerful as sales reps, utilize neighbor spotlights and local testimonials in your creative to bypass traditional "sales skepticism."
Energy companies should use sponsored content to provide authoritative context during crises, appearing alongside neighbor questions to establish a proactive, community-first presence.
Target the 90% of energy-conscious neighbors with proactive tools during local rate change announcements, turning a moment of potential friction into a partnership.
Source: Nextdoor Survey, US (01/2026)