Are lower-income households more or less likely to connect with neighbors? The honest research answer is: it depends what you mean by “connect,” and what kind of neighborhood you’re comparing.   Studies consistently show that income shapes the type of connection people have, how far their networks reach , and how much trust and “shared expectations” exist on a block. Here’s what the evidence suggests. What large surveys suggest in the U.S. When researchers ask broad questions like “Do you know your neighbors?” or “Do you trust your neighbors?”, higher-income Americans tend to report higher connection and trust . A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that some groups are more likely to know and trust most of their neighbors , including upper-income Americans . Pew also reports that more affluent and more educated respondents are more likely to say they do helpful, relationship-building things for neighbors. So, on standard survey measures of knowing/trusting/helping, u...