Everybody needs good neighbours – or do they?
Almost 90 percent of us are happy with the amount of contact we have with our neighbours – although nearly half of us
have little or no contact with them, Statistics New Zealand said today.
Over half of New Zealanders have lived in the same neighbourhood for six years or more. These people are twice as likely
as those who have lived in a neighbourhood for less than a year to say they have neighbours they can turn to for help
and support.
“Neighbours are an important part of people’s support networks. The longer someone lives in the same neighbourhood, the
greater the opportunity to form and build on these relationships,” labour market and households statistics manager Diane
Ramsay said.
Owner-occupiers tend to live in the same neighbourhood for longer than renters. Almost one-quarter of owner-occupiers
have lived in the same neighbourhood for 21 years or more – compared with only 6 percent of renters.
“We found that having supportive neighbours enhances people’s sense of safety in their neighbourhood,” Ms Ramsay said.
“People with supportive neighbours are more likely to say they feel safe at home by themselves at night, or walking
alone in their neighbourhood after dark.”
Because neighbours are close by, they can provide an important social connection that may not be possible with family
and friends. The main way we keep in touch with our supportive neighbours is by talking to them in person, and most of
us do this regularly – 55 percent of people with supportive neighbours said they have weekly contact with them.
How connected are we to our neighbours? reports on information from the 2014 New Zealand General Social Survey. It focuses on the connections New Zealanders
aged 15 years or older have with their neighbours.
ENDS