High school may be long behind most Americans, but the friendships can last far longer. A new CivicScience survey shows that 12% of U.S. adults say they still talk to a lot of people from high school, 41% say they keep in touch with a few, and 47% say they don’t regularly talk to anyone from high school (excluding ‘does not apply’).
Unsurprisingly, Gen Z is the most likely to keep in touch with high school friends, as they’re closest in age to those years. Friendships tend to dwindle with age, but it’s worth noting that the majority of adults under 45 still have at least a few friends from high school. Women are slightly more likely to say they stay connected, as are lower-income households (likely aligning with Gen Z), adults with an associate or bachelor’s degree, city dwellers, and those living in the Midwest.
But demographics aren’t the only thing setting high school friend-keepers apart:
- Truck Favorability: Those with lots of high school friends are nearly twice as likely to have a favorable opinion of RAM trucks as those with none.
- Tech & Media: Four in ten read tech blogs or websites at least weekly, compared to just 9% of those without high school friends.
- News Habits: 60% read digital content from a national newspaper (like The New York Times or Wall Street Journal) at least weekly.
- Cooking: They’re also twice as likely to say they love cooking (37% vs. 18%).
- Wellness: They’re roughly four times as likely to say they use mindfulness meditation apps.
Staying in touch with high school friends isn’t just about nostalgia—it reflects a lifestyle. From brand choices to media habits and hobbies, those who still nurture these early bonds carry a sense of connection that extends well beyond the classroom years.
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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.
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