It’s no secret that helping to create a sense of well-being in your community is the key to a happy neighborhood. However, fewer Americans are taking time to engage with their neighbors. This recent survey from Zebra backs up the statement. It found that a majority of Americans aren’t friends with their neighbors in real life. In fact, only 33% of Americans consider their neighbors friends or close friends, whereas 66% consider their neighbors strangers or acquaintances. Americans in the Midwest region are most likely to be friends with their neighbors.
Meanwhile, some experts argue that online neighborhood groups are replacing face-to-face communication. For example, Neighborhood-based site Nextdoor has 236,000 active neighborhoods throughout the world. It reaches 90% of U.S. neighborhoods, and is worth an estimated $2.1 billion. Zebra’s survey also showed that almost a third, 27% of Americans are in online neighborhood groups. Moreover, women are 10% more active in these online communities.
Another study was run by NextDoor in conjunction with Brigham Young University in the United States, University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and Swinburne University of Technology In Australia, and conducted by a team of leading loneliness experts. They found that knowing as few as 6 neighbors reduces the likelihood of feeling lonely and is linked to lower depression, social anxiety, and financial concerns related to COVID-19.
#10 Because Nextdoor Isn't Always Racist Or Trashy, Here Is Something On The Lighter Side
