Having your family live nearby has its perks, but when does “nearby” turn into too close for comfort? According to a new survey, people have very specific ideas about exactly how much distance they prefer between where they live and where their parents or in-laws reside.
The survey of over 2,000 adults from Ally Home, a digital financial services company, finds more than half (57%) of respondents say there should be at least some driving distance between where their family or partner’s family lives and where they live. And a majority agree there should be a 15 to 45-minute buffer zone between themselves and parents or in-laws.
But it’s not just the distance that matters. Over a third of respondents (37%) say family shouldn’t live close enough to “just pop in and say hello,” with even more millennials (42%) stressing they don’t like that. The survey also asked what stresses them out the most when dealing with family and coming in at number one with 52% is a road trip with parents or in-laws and no access to a radio. Following in second place is dealing with a father/father-in-law who has opposite political views (40%), and number three is living within five minutes of parents or in-laws (38%).