Does the spatial distribution of social ties impact neighborhood and city attachment? Differentials among urban/rural contexts

Using social network data from the American Social Fabric Project (ASFP), this study examines how distance to alters may lead different perceptions of neighborhood and city attachment among urban versus rural residents, considers which types relations play influential roles in shaping attachment. Overall, a key finding is that having more local ties positively associated with at both level level, holding for any relationship our sample environments. Notably, long are not irrelevant attachment; rather, we see greater Among measured, safety consistently show strongest positive Surprisingly, find spatial distribution appears consequential than it does sample. Further, geographically dispersed also matter settings: physically close midrange core discussion weaker whereas they do affect residents’ • Uses information on large Western U.S. Local No evidence longer reduce Spatial effect stronger areas areas. Neighborhood strongly related other relations.