Impacts of the coronavirus pandemic are likely to differ depending on the type of area a person resides in. Rural areas are typically more sparsely populated, so restrictions such as stay-at-home orders, are likely to enhance feelings of isolation. Whereas in urban areas, residing in a high-rise apartment building and attached houses is common. On the other hand, people in rural areas are more likely to have gardens or nature around them and thus have a better opportunity to get outside and still keep their distance.

Our survey shows that 46.0% of people living in rural areas or the countryside felt more alone compared to the first lockdown. In comparison to that, only 31.5% of people who live in urban areas feel more alone. However, there are of course also stories of people who are surrounded by countless neighbors and still feel lonely in the middle of the big city. Some people were privileged enough to move to the cottage in the country, others experience otherwise crowded cities as abandoned and quiet.