Horizontal or vertical? A tale of geographical proximity in Italian kinship networks

The increasing predominance of the “beanpole” family, a structure characterized by multiple ties across generations but fewer within one generation, has led most scholars to focus on parent-child (and grandparent-grandchild) relationships, overlooking the relevance of the broader kinship network and its geographical spread. The geographical proximity between kin reveals patterns of potential support networks and is associated with subnational heterogeneities in both family solidarity norms and existing support needs. Using data on generations born between 1951 and 1966 (N(N = 20,744 anchor-kin dyads) from an Italian nationally representative survey (Istat “Families, social subject and life cycle” survey 2016), we provide new evidence on how geographical proximity is associated with kinship type (parents, children, or siblings) and the geographical location of the anchor generation at the province level. Our results, from three-level random slope logistic regression models on the probability of living within a 15 km radius, show that middle-aged Italians are more likely to live near their parents and children than to their siblings, suggesting stronger family obligations in vertical ties compared to horizontal ties. There are substantial variations across Italian provinces, with Southern areas generally characterized by closer proximity to kin, particularly to siblings and parents, compared to Northern areas. The geographical spread of kin across Southern and Northern areas is partially explained by traditional family norms and high unemployment rates.