Knowing Your Neighbors Doesn't Make You Happier, Survey Says

Happiness Survey Says It's OK To Not Know The Folks Next Door

Put down the "welcome to the neighborhood" baked goods, and step away from the "nice to meet you" fruit baskets. Despite your best efforts, getting to know your neighbors might not be worth it after all -- if you live in Europe, that is.

According to the United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics, overall life satisfaction was in no way connected to feeling close to people living in the area. The recently-published pan-European survey on happiness asked thousands of Europeans a range of questions about everything from relationships and work to health and finances.

Case in point: Britain and Germany, where the general population reported the weakest connections to their local communities but overall life satisfaction ranked higher than the average across the EU.

So don't feel too bad if you're trusting strangers -- your happiness really doesn't depend on it. But your health might. A 2011 study conducted back here in the U.S. revealed a link between trusting the people living amongst you and a boost in your health.

H/T to The Atlantic City Lab for introducing us to this surprising discovery.

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