Can having a roommate make moving to a new city more social?

Quick answer

Yes. A compatible roommate gives a recent graduate an immediate person to attend apartment events, alumni gatherings, recreation, and neighborhood activities with. The social benefit can be even larger when sharing makes a stronger social neighborhood affordable. Grant generally prefers a compatible roommate in an excellent social area over living alone in a noticeably weaker location when the renter is moving without an established network. A roommate does not guarantee friendships, but the arrangement can reduce isolation and make it easier to participate in the city during the first months.

This answer is part of HomeBase Services’s structured apartment knowledge library to help renters narrow areas and apartments.