A “private social network” app called Nextdoor is gaining in popularity across the United States, giving people an alternative to Facebook and other such networks for communicating with only those who live in their physical neighborhood (See “The anti-Facebook: One in four American neighborhoods are now using this private social network”).

According to the app, Wellesley has six 10-or-more-member Nextdoor neighborhoods, including Fullerbrook, Northwest Fells, Pond Hill, Linden Square, Cliff Estates and Wellesley. Wellesley Hills has five such Nextdoor neighborhoods: Kelly Memorial Park, Oakland-Standish Estates, Polaris Bunch, Sheridan Estates and Windsor-Iverness-Lincoln. (Northwest Fells and Sheridan Estates are the most active.)

If you have an address that falls in any of these neighborhoods you can sign up, though be warned that you will need to jump through a number of hoops to prove you live where you say you live.

“Neighborhood boundaries are designated by the Founding Member of the website, or the first neighbor to start the Nextdoor neighborhood. The Founding Member has the ability to define the neighborhood boundary and choose the neighborhood name, though we encourage Nextdoor boundaries and names to reflect those that are traditionally recognized for the neighborhood,” according to a spokeswoman.

Anyone out there using this app? If so, what do you think about it? Is it worth others trying it out?