Language region determines whether neighbours are allowed to water flowers

Switzerland knows its neighbours – 89% of all respondents confirmed this in a representative survey conducted by ImmoScout24. This confirms classic stereotypes: The older you are, the more interested you are in your neighbours, know them personally and meet them regularly. And then there is the question of watering the plants while on vacation.

In 2024, people living in Switzerland travelled an average of 2.9 times with overnight stays, almost two-thirds of which were abroad (source: FSO). This often raises the question: Who will take care of pets and plants while they are away? ImmoScout24 conducted a representative study on the topic of neighbourliness and found answers to this and other questions.

German-speaking Switzerland has the highest level of trust in its neighbours  
The survey results show a clear difference not only between gender, but also between language regions, in terms of whether people entrust their homes to their neighbours during periods of absence, for example, to water their plants. While 51% of the women surveyed answered this question unequivocally with ‘yes’, only 40% of men did. The situation is similar in rural (51% yes) versus urban areas (42% yes). The comparison between the language regions is more clear-cut: At 52%, the proportion of yes votes in German-speaking Switzerland is almost four times higher than in Italian-speaking Switzerland (14% yes). French-speaking Switzerland falls between the two, with 31% in favour. In 2021, this difference was not so pronounced, as French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland were at similar levels*.

Mr and Mrs Swiss know their neighbours
Overall, 89% of the respondents know their neighbours personally. At the same time, 76% stated that they are interested in their neighbours. The percentage of people who know their neighbours personally increases steadily with age. While the figure is 81% among 18- to 29-year-olds, it rises to 96% in the 60+ age group. A similar trend can be seen in terms of interest in the neighbourhood. In addition, respondents in German-speaking Switzerland are significantly more interested (80% yes) in their neighbours than those in French- or Italian-speaking Switzerland (only 66% yes in each case). However, interest is not the same as knowledge. While a majority say they know whether all their neighbours have children (60% yes) or pets (51% yes), only 27% of respondents know what their neighbours do for a living. Instead, 17% said they do not know what any of their neighbours do for a living.

Is there such a thing as an ideal neighbourhood?
How a neighbourhood is ultimately experienced, or rather how one imagines it to be, is a matter of individual interpretation. While only 27% of all respondents stated that they had contact with their neighbours on a daily or several times a week basis, the proportion of those who imagine an ideal neighbourhood as involving at least regular interaction and mutual assistance is over 50%. Regardless of reality or idealisation, in both cases, there is a shift, particularly with advancing age. In terms of actual contact, the proportion of neighbourhoods with at least weekly interaction increases significantly from the age of 60 onwards. When it comes to the idealisation of what an ideal neighbourhood should look like, this increase is already apparent from the age of 45 onwards. 

Study design
The representative study comprises an online survey of people living in Switzerland. Between 12 and 22 August 2025, 1,264 people aged between 18 and 84 were surveyed in German-, French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland. The results were weighted according to age, gender, and language region.

*Prioritisation of data quality: Although the 2021 survey was also representative, it was conducted by a different survey institute than in 2025. Due to the reduced comparability, detailed information from the 2021survey isnot discussed.