Study of the Relationship Between Housing Types and Social Interaction in Jos, Plateau State

Housing form and spatial layout have a direct influence on the patterns of social interaction among residents of urban neighbourhoods, shaping community cohesion, safety, and residents' quality of life. This study examines the relationship between housing typology and the quality and frequency of social interaction in three contrasting residential areas of Jos: the low-density GRA, the medium-density Rayfield Estate, and the high-density Angwan Rukuba settlement. A mixed-methods design combined physical observation of communal spaces, behavioural mapping of outdoor social activities, and structured interviews with two hundred and ten household respondents. Social interaction quality was assessed through self-reported indices of neighbourliness, communal gathering frequency, and sense of community belonging. Results indicate that residents of the high-density Angwan Rukuba settlement report significantly higher frequencies of informal social interaction and stronger sense of community despite, or partly because of, shared courtyard configurations and organic street networks that create natural meeting points. GRA residents reported higher satisfaction with privacy and space but significantly lower community belonging scores. Rayfield Estate residents showed intermediate scores on all interaction measures. Analysis suggests that shared entrance lobbies, front stoep arrangements, and semi-public transition spaces are the key spatial elements correlated with positive social interaction outcomes. The study recommends the deliberate design of semi-public threshold spaces in new residential developments in Jos and argues against exclusively inward-looking gated development forms that sever street-level social life. Keywords: housing typology, social interaction, residential design, Jos, community cohesion.