The survey, commissioned by social-planning website Evite, also found that 45% of the 2,000 adults surveyed admitted that they struggle to make new friends. Around 42% of the survey participants revealed that they struggle with making friends because they are shy and introverted.
Thirty percent of the adults surveyed said they have trouble making friends because they’re not a big fan of going out to bars, while a third said that they feel as though everyone else already has well-established groups of friends. Around 29%, however, said that family commitments keep them from making friends, while 28% blamed their hobbies for not being conducive to making friends. Another 21% said that moving to a new city was what kept them from finding their new gang of friends.
However, almost half of those surveyed (45%) said they would put great effort into making friends if they just knew how to go about doing so.
“For the 45% who are looking to make new friends, the best and most underrated way to do that these days is still in-person,” said Piera Pizzo, Evite’s in-house party specialist. “You can host a party, or something more low-key like book club or happy hour, and tell each of your guests to bring a friend. You’ll be surprised at how naturally social circles can come together, and at the lasting connections you can make when bonding face-to-face.”
The majority of the respondents also shared a common sentiment: Making friends was much easier in their early 20s, with most participants saying that they had the greatest number of friends at age 23. Thirty-six percent, however, felt they were most popular when they were under the age of 21.
The survey also found that the average US adult has 16 active friendships. Out of those 16, three are considered lifelong friends, five are close enough that you would hang out with them one-on-one, and the remaining eight are fairly likeable - but not enough to hang out with in person very often.
Almost 50% of participants also said they are still in contact with close friends from high school, while 31% said they still keep in touch with college friends. About 30% said they still have kept friendships with their childhood neighbors. Forty-eight percent of participants revealed that a previous workplace was where they formed most of their friendships.
Eight-two percent of respondents said that lasting friendships are difficult to find, with 63% saying that moving away is a friendship-killer and 61% contending that naturally growing apart is what causes a friendship to fade. On the other hand, 32% said betrayal and not having friends there when you need them are the main culprits behind failing friendships.
What about the top five traits in a good friend?
Well, the study participants said honesty, trust, loyalty, kindness and a good sense of humor are the most important characteristics in a friend.
