An apparatus comprises a processing platform configured for characterization, provisioning and access of data set virtual neighborhoods. The processing platform comprises a virtual neighborhood describer, a virtual neighborhood provisioner and a virtual neighborhood visitor. The virtual neighborhood describer is configured to generate characterizations of data set virtual neighborhoods responsive to one or more requirements, such as specified or derived requirements, or combinations thereof. The virtual neighborhood provisioner is configured to utilize the characterizations to generate provisioned data set virtual neighborhoods responsive to one or more corresponding provisioning requests. The virtual neighborhood visitor is configured to access at least one of: (a) one or more data set content indexes associated with at least one of the provisioned data set virtual neighborhoods, and (b) one or more data sets associated with at least one of the provisioned data set virtual neighborhoods, responsive to a given submitted access request.