Types of Communities

What Is a Community?#

A community is a place where people live, work, and play together. People in a community share streets, schools, parks, and stores. They help each other and work together to make their neighborhood a good place to live.

Communities come in many sizes and shapes. Some have millions of people and towering buildings. Others have just a few families and wide open fields. No matter the size, every community is special.

What Do All Communities Have?#

Every community has some things in common:

• Homes — places where families live
• Schools — where children learn
• Stores and shops — where people buy food and other things they need
• Roads — to help people travel
• Services — like hospitals, fire stations, and libraries

Three Main Types of Communities#

Geographers (people who study places on Earth) group communities into three main types:

1. Urban — a city community, with many people and tall buildings
2. Suburban — a community near a city, with houses, shops, and quieter streets
3. Rural — a country community, far from cities, with farms, forests, and open land

Each type of community is different in how it looks, how many people live there, and what kinds of jobs and activities are found there.

Why Do Communities Differ?#

Communities grow and look different because of:

• Geography — Is the land flat or hilly? Is there a river nearby?
• Resources — Is there good farmland? Natural harbors? Forests for timber?
• History — Has the community been there for hundreds of years, or is it new?

In the next pages, we will explore each type of community in detail!