Its not really a north/south thing. While we’re more familiar with the weather in the north, rural and small town people are pretty much the same everywhere.
After the big January snowstorm here I slogged 300 yards down to the neighbor’s house at the dead end to ask the elderly couple if they needed anything. I ended up picking up their mail at the post office for the next couple of days till their snowplow guy got to them.
I agree. I would only say that the small town ethos that you describe was being exhibited in a very large metropolitan area ( around 6 million people), that is what made it rather extraordinary.