Do you talk to your neighbors? More than half of people do not have frequent conversations with them

BarcelonaSaying a simple "Hello" or "Goodbye" when you meet one of your neighbors in the stairwell or share an elevator. It may seem like a widespread custom, a majority gesture of cordiality, but now there is data to quantify it: in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, 63.8% of people greet each other frequently. Those who cross the greeting border and have a brief conversation frequently – at least ask "How are you?" – are 42.6% of neighbors. Lending oil, salt, and any other kind of favor is only done regularly by 16.1% of neighbors. And when we raise the level of trust, the number of neighbors who share personal problems (8.4%) or who visit each other (only 4.3%) decreases.

The data comes from the fourth edition of theSurvey on Coexistence and Neighborly Relations 2024, prepared by the Metropolitan Institute with funding from the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB). In total, 3,183 residents of the metropolitan area have answered its questions. These relationships between neighbors are more intense among owners than among renters, just as young people or those born abroad, in general terms, relate less to their neighbors. In fact, in small municipalities and in neighborhoods with little diversity, relationships are more intense.

That neighbors relate less to each other does not mean that neighborly conflicts are frequent. Only 9.6% of the population has had problems with their stairwell companions in the last year. The triggers for confrontations are, in almost half of the cases, noise. However, the vast majority of people (72% of cases) know how to resolve them by talking informally, without the need for mediation or intervention from the authorities. The survey also makes it clear that there are more conflicts in small and poorly maintained buildings. When we talk about coexistence problems in the neighborhood, 44.5% point to dirtiness and 33.3% to vehicle circulation.

Good assessment of the environment

The study by the Metròpoli Institute also provides good data regarding residents' perception of their surroundings. The majority perceive the neighborhood as well-connected (91.9%) and with parks and green spaces (86.2%). The neighborhoods are considered suitable for children (85.1%) and with a good range of facilities (76.8%). Perceived safety is high (71.4%), but vitality is considered lower (64.0%). In fact, the weakest point is associative capacity, with a 55% approval rating. For example, 21% of those surveyed indicate that over the last five years they have mobilized jointly with their neighbors to solve a neighborhood problem, and 15.6% have participated in a specific action to improve a neighborhood space such as an urban garden, a self-managed space, or a facility.

The same amount of young and old people who feel lonely

A worrying piece of data from the survey is the percentage of residents who feel lonely. 9.8% of the metropolitan population as a whole has often felt lonely or excluded in the last month. The feeling of loneliness is higher among women (12.3%) than among men (6.9%). If we look at age, the most affected group is young people aged 16 to 29. 11.7% declare having felt lonely. Among those over 75 years old, the percentage stands at 11.5%. In other words, there is the same amount of young and old people who feel lonely. Of all the surveyed population, 2.8% say they have no family or friends living nearby.