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Young people, working people, those with higher education and people with high incomes have the largest social networks. Having a larger network is useful. "It can help in finding work or social support," said Bas Hofstra, a sociologist at Radboud University. "People with a smaller network often have a harder time."

We all know a lot of people: family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and also that acquaintance you once met at a party. But how many acquaintances does the average Dutch person actually have? That varies enormously from person to person, discovered Beate V枚lker (Free University), Bas Hofstra (Radboud University), Rense Corten (Utrecht University) and Frank van Tubergen (Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demographic Institute), who examined the social networks of adult Dutch people.

The published in Social Networks, shows that, on average, adult Dutch people know about 568 people personally (the median is 488). This network includes not only friends and family, but also acquaintances with whom you would have a chat if you met them on the street. In comparison, previous studies in the U.S. and in Spain showed slightly higher numbers, while a country like Chile showed a lower number.

Small network has disadvantages

In a representative survey, the researchers first asked 1,325 Dutch people how many people they know with certain characteristics, such as someone with a specific first name, someone who recently earned a college degree or someone who became a father or mother within the last year. Based on the answers, the researchers were able to compare this with numbers in the entire population of the Netherlands. This allowed them to estimate the size and composition of the larger network.

"Some people know few, other people know lots of others," says sociologist Hofstra. "We already knew this about close friends: some people have none, others have several, but for broader networks we knew little. Thanks to this research, you can better predict who has a higher risk of being less connected to others. Those people may need extra support, because those who have a small network may suffer disadvantages."

Who has the largest network?

There are big differences between people in the size of their networks. Younger people tend to have larger networks than older people. For example, on average, Dutch people between the ages of 18 and 30 have a network that is nearly 38% larger than that of people over 65. Similarly, people who work have, on average, a network that is 19% larger than those without a paid job.

Other factors at play: Those with higher education, higher incomes, or with more roommates tend to have larger networks. For example, each additional roommate increases the network by 8%. Then again, there is no difference between men and women: their networks are equally large in this study.

Outside your bubble

In addition to size, the researchers looked at the composition of networks. They found that networks consist mostly of people who look like us. For example, women on average know more women (66%) than men know women (56%). Conversely, men know more men than women do.

There is also segregation in terms of education level. People with a college or university education mainly know others with a similar education (about 81% of their network). "About close circles of friends we already knew that these often consist of people who are similar to each other," says Hofstra. "But it turns out that this also plays an important role in the larger network of acquaintances."

The size and composition of your network also determines how much help you get when you are struggling. "A large network can help you find a job or get support in difficult times," Hofstra explains. He says this research therefore offers valuable insights for policymakers and scientists who want to understand how social structures work in the Netherlands鈥攁nd where possible (weak) connections can be strengthened. "Policymakers could facilitate encounters between the practically and theoretically educated, for example, giving people some more contacts outside that bubble."