Identifying the Difference Between Rural, Urban & Suburban

The term rural is generally used as a synonym for a location that's "out in the country." Rural locations are, by nature, not densely populated. They're outside of cities, though further away from the city limits than suburbs are. In rural settings, there are typically large areas of undeveloped land. The fictional town of Mayberry on The Andy Griffith Show is an example of rural America, as are small towns and unincorporated communities from coast to coast.

Fast Fact: The rural town of Mayberry was based on Mount Airy, North Carolina. Visit the small town today, and you'll find Andy Griffth's childhood home, the Old Mayberry jail, and more. 

Rural life tends to be characterized by open spaces and a fairly quiet lifestyle that is free from the hustle, bustle, and crowds of city life.

• Many people who live in rural areas have multiple acres of land. As a result, homes are usually situated fairly far away from each other.
• There are some subdivisions in rural areas. Homes in these developments are typically situated on an acre or more of land.
• Apartments and condominiums are not common in rural areas, nor are duplexes or other multi-family dwellings.
• People living in rural communities often have subsistence gardens and/or farms to supplement the limited supplies they can purchase in town. 

In rural areas, you aren't likely to find multistory office buildings or shopping malls. People who live in rural areas expect to have to go to suburban or urban areas for specialty supplies.

• People who own large amounts of land often operate farms or other agriculture-related businesses on their rural property.
• Large manufacturing enterprises often locate plants in rural areas due to the availability of affordable land and a local labor pool seeking employment.
• Rural locations tend to have some retail stores, including locally-owned stores or restaurants, as well as chains that cater to small markets, such as Dollar General.
• Rural areas often have some locally owned and operated service businesses, such as independent banks, hair salons, car repair services, or accounting services.

The word urban is used to refer to cities and municipal areas. A lot of people work in the same cities they live in. Cities are densely populated commerce hubs where a fast-paced lifestyle tends to be the norm. Atlanta and New York City are examples of well-established urban locations.

In urban areas, land is scarce and expensive so people tend to live close together. Multi-tenant properties are common, though they're not the only option. There are single-family homes in most urban areas, though they're more expensive by nature. 

• In urban areas, many people live in large, multi-story apartment buildings. Some are quite luxurious, while others are very basic, depending on your income. 
• Many single-family urban homes are intermingled with commercially zoned property, such that a house, or a few houses, may be surrounded by businesses.
• There are urban neighborhoods and subdivisions in many cities. Homes in these developments tend to be built very closely together and have only very small yards.

Urban areas are home to a lot of businesses, including corporate offices for large organizations with locations throughout the country or world.

• Many urban businesses operate in large, multi-story office buildings.
• Corporate headquarters may occupy multiple buildings on their own, while other office buildings are home to multiple tenants.
• Shopping malls/markets are common in urban areas. It's also common to see stores and restaurants on the first few floors of office buildings.

Suburban areas are locations built up around the outside of cities. They tend to be less densely populated than the cities they surround, though some grow so much that they become cities in their own right. For example, Gainesville, Georgia is a suburb of Atlanta. In New York, Westchester County is a suburb of New York City.

Suburbs are often referred to as bedroom communities since many residents of the suburbs commute to the city for work.

• Most homes in the suburbs are located in subdivisions zoned exclusively for residential purposes. They typically have more land than homes in urban neighborhoods and less than homes in rural areas.
• The most exclusive single-family homes in suburban areas are in gated communities, with secure gates that only residents and their invited guests can pass through.
• Apartment complexes are common in the suburbs, but they are different from city apartments. They are usually only a few stories tall and tend to have more spacious floorplans than urban apartments.
• Suburban apartment complexes tend to be situated on larger plots of land, which allows for amenities like swimming pools, tennis courts, and dog runs.

People who move to the suburbs to escape from the city don't want to have to go back to the city to shop. As a result, suburban areas typically become booming retail centers.

• Large shopping centers anchored by major chain retailers are common in suburban areas.
• Freestanding stores, restaurants, and other product and service businesses are common in suburban areas.
• Suppliers and distribution centers often set up shop in suburban areas for easy access to customers in nearby cities.

Rural and urban areas are as diametrically opposed as you can get. From the types of residential properties available to how densely populated the areas are, rural and urban areas have very little in common. 

Urban and suburban areas share a lot of characteristics, though there are some unique places where they differ. 

Rural and suburban areas may seem very different on the tin, but they have more similarities than you might think. 

Now that you know what the terms urban, suburban, and rural mean, don't stop there. Take the time to further expand your geography-related vocabulary. Start by looking at the difference between a city and a town. From there, explore some examples of geography terms.