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Diari de Catalunya

More Than Half of Metropolitan Residents Do Not Have Frequent Relations With Their Neighbors

A survey reveals that neighborhood interaction is limited, although conflicts are uncommon and mostly resolved informally.

Generic image of two hands shaking over a desk, with blurred documents in the background.
IA

Generic image of two hands shaking over a desk, with blurred documents in the background.

More than half of residents in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area do not maintain frequent relations with their neighbors, according to the fourth edition of the 2024 Coexistence and Neighborly Relations Survey, which also highlights a low incidence of conflicts.

The data, collected by the Institut Metròpoli with support from the AMB, reveals that interactions are more intense among homeowners than among renters. Additionally, young people and those born abroad tend to interact less with their neighbors. The highest frequency of relations is recorded in small municipalities and neighborhoods with low diversity.
Despite less interaction, neighborly conflicts are not common, affecting only 9.6% of the population in the last year. Noise is the primary cause of disputes, but the majority (72%) are resolved through informal dialogue, without the need for external intervention. The study also indicates that small and poorly maintained buildings present more coexistence problems. Regarding neighborhood coexistence issues, dirtiness (44.5%) and vehicle traffic (33.3%) are the most cited concerns.
The survey also offers a positive assessment of the urban environment. Most residents perceive their neighborhood as well-connected (91.9%) and with an abundance of parks and green spaces (86.2%). Neighborhoods are considered suitable for children (85.1%) and with a good range of facilities (76.8%). Perceived safety is high (71.4%), although vitality and associative capacity are the weakest points, with 55% approval. Only 21% of respondents have mobilized with neighbors to solve neighborhood problems, and 15.6% have participated in actions to improve community spaces.
A concerning aspect of the study is the feeling of loneliness. 9.8% of the metropolitan population has felt lonely or excluded in the last month, with a higher incidence among women (12.3%) than among men (6.9%). Interestingly, loneliness affects young people aged 16 to 29 (11.7%) and those over 75 (11.5%) similarly. Furthermore, 2.8% of respondents have no family or friends living nearby.

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