Number of Close Friends

The number of close friends a person has is another measure of social capital, since outside of the immediate family, close friends are among the most likely individuals to be drawn on for help. Somewhat less than half of area residents (44 percent) say they have more than five close friends, with another quarter saying they have four or five. Young adults are least likely to say they have more than five close friends, older adults the most. There is a strong correlation between educational attainment and the proportion of residents who have more than five close friends. The correlation with income is also strong, except for those in the highest income group. Whites are nearly twice as likely as blacks to say they have more than five close friends.