Four in ten Austrians actively help neighbors, survey finds

A recent survey conducted by ImmoScout24 in Austria reveals that a significant portion of the population actively participates in neighborhood assistance, with four out of ten individuals offering help to their neighbors.

The study, which surveyed 1000 participants, indicates that the underlying willingness to assist is even greater. Seven out of ten people expressed a readiness to support elderly or single residents, and 59% are open to helping newcomers integrate into the neighborhood. However, current engagement in assisting newcomers stands at only 5%.

Smaller, practical tasks appear to be the most common forms of neighborhood support. Eighteen percent of respondents reported engaging in minor handicraft tasks for neighbors. Other frequent activities include pet-sitting (14%), caring for community spaces like gardens or playgrounds (11%), and helping organize neighborhood events (10%).

Analysis of age groups shows that individuals aged 50 to 69 are most likely to be actively involved in helping, while younger people aged 18 to 29 demonstrate a high willingness to participate across various areas. Regionally, Lower Austria and Burgenland show the highest current engagement rates at 48%, compared to Vienna at 29%. The level of engagement also correlates with community size, with 45% active in towns up to 5,000 inhabitants, versus 38% in urban areas.