A study has found that forming friendships across different income levels can significantly benefit social mobility. Children from low-income families who grow up in areas with mixed-income connections are likely to earn £5,100 more annually as adults compared to those from areas with less connection.
The research, conducted by the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), Meta, and Stanford University researchers, utilized anonymized Facebook data and official data from 20 million adults in the UK. It highlighted the benefits of “economically connected communities” characterized by friendships across income levels, often formed in schools, universities, or hobby groups.
While affluent metropolitan areas tend to have more cross-class friendships, areas with similar proportions of higher-income residents can still vary in their levels of connectedness. As an example, the study noted that Kingston upon Thames has a higher share of high-income friends among low-income residents compared to Canterbury, despite both cities having similarly affluent populations.
Dr. Antonio Silva, the principal investigator at BIT, emphasized that economic connectedness is associated with high income, but it remains the second-strongest predictor of social mobility after income, even when considering other factors such as education and health.
The study also involved researchers visiting neighborhoods with different income levels and high or low connectedness without prior knowledge of the area’s connectedness. They consistently accurately guessed the levels of connectedness by observing interactions in pubs, churches, and other community settings.
The findings align with a similar study in the US, where it was found that the UK is less economically segregated. Half of the poorest population’s friendships in the UK are with higher-income individuals, compared to 39% in the US.
In addition to improved social mobility, cross-class friendships were found to lead to higher levels of happiness and trust in others. The study is part of a broader project focused on booste
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/24/friendships-that-bridge-wealth-divides-help-social-mobility-study-finds
