Seattleites love their neighbors more than ever, but still keep them at arm's length

As people everywhere are spending more time at home, a new poll from PEMCO Mutual Insurance shows that Seattle-area residents enjoy their neighbors more than they used to – but that still doesn't mean they want to be invited over to visit.

As part of the most recent PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll, the Seattle-based insurer asked Seattle and Portland residents to rate the qualities of great neighbors, along with the attributes of a bad neighbor, and also asked them to classify their own neighbors. The results are reported as an index – PEMCO's "Great Neighbor Index" – where a higher score, out of a possible 100 points, indicates the presence of more great neighbors than bad ones.

PEMCO last published the index in 2015, and while there were no changes to how Portland-area residents feel about their neighbors, Seattleites are significantly more likely in 2020 to say they have more great neighbors than bad ones, with an index score of 40. In 2015, Seattle's Great Neighbor Index score was just 27.  

In 2020, 88% of Seattle-area residents say they have more great neighbors than bad, compared to just 69% of residents who said the same in 2015. Meanwhile in Portland, responses stayed consistent between 2015 and 2020, with about 75% reporting they have more great neighbors, scoring 38 on the index in 2020 and 35 in 2015.

"It's encouraging to see so many Northwesterners embracing the people who live in our communities," said PEMCO Insurance Spokesperson Derek Wing. "But true to Seattle form, our poll found that residents here don't think that being a good neighbor necessarily means spending time socializing or hosting a dinner."

When it comes to being a great neighbor, the majority of respondents said that respecting others' rights and being reasonable is the most important neighborly trait, along with being trustworthy and watching out for your place if you're away.

Interestingly, taking interest in your family and extending invitations for visits were some of the lowest-rated qualities of being a good neighbor – only about 5% of Seattle respondents said these attributes were most important. Those qualities are even less important to Portland residents.

On the flip side, most Seattle and Portland residents agree that bad neighbors are those who often host loud parties with multiple guests, those who are not trustworthy, and those who do not respect the rights of others. Nearly half of respondents also cited noisy or wandering pets and poorly maintained property as signs of a bad neighbor.

The poll also found another interesting takeaway: people seem to enjoy their neighbors more, even as they are engaging with them less due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About four out of five residents in Seattle and Portland say they're engaging with their neighbors about the same or even less since the pandemic began, largely because of the importance of social distancing.

Additionally, about one-third of respondents said that the most important quality of a good neighbor is one who does a great job following public health guidelines like wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

"We're glad to see that people here are taking our collective responsibility seriously when it comes to keeping each other safe," Wing said. "It shows that there are many ways we can all be great neighbors and support our community in challenging times and beyond."

For a complete summary of PEMCO's proprietary poll results visit www.pemco.com/blog/nw-polls, where you'll find responses collected by FBK Research of Seattle in June 2020. 

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About the PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll 

PEMCO Mutual Insurance commissioned this independent survey, conducted by FBK Research of Seattle, that asked Seattle-area and Portland-area residents questions about driving habits and attitudes toward current Northwest issues. The sample size, 664 respondents in the Seattle metro region (King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties) and 621 respondents in the Portland metro region (Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah and Washington Counties)  yields an accuracy of +/- 3.9 and 4.0% respectively at the 95% confidence level. In other words, if this study were conducted 100 times, in 95 instances the data will not vary by more than the associated error range.  

About PEMCO Mutual Insurance 

PEMCO Mutual Insurance is the Defender of Your Northwest, providing auto, home, renters and boat coverage. We are consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee expertise and social impact. Our Mutual Good programs raise the achievement levels for youth in education; build stronger, greener environments; and increase safety at home, on the road and at play. Our mission: Free our communities to worry less and live more.