Difference Between Rural and Urban and Suburban

Rural, urban and suburban are three different ways in which one can describe the area that they live in as it is related to the population in that area.

Key Takeaways

1. Rural areas have low population density and vast open spaces and are primarily involved in agriculture and natural resource-based industries.
2. Urban areas are densely populated, with a high concentration of infrastructure, businesses, and cultural amenities.
3. Suburban areas combine rural and urban living aspects, offering residential neighborhoods near urban centers with access to city amenities and open spaces.

Rural vs Urban vs Suburban

The difference between rural, urban and suburban areas is that rural areas are generally open and spread out with a small population while the suburban areas are residential areas with a larger population than rural areas whereas the urban area is one with a high population for both living and working.

Rural areas are basically a countryside where farming and natural resources are taken in use to earn income. In suburban areas, a lot of single-family housing areas are available that surrounds the larger cities.

Urban areas include high population where generally the number of people per block are more than a thousand. They are very congested.

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Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Rural Areas	Urban Areas	Suburban Areas
Definition	Rural areas are areas that are open and spread out with a small population.	Urban areas are areas that consists of both living and working areas and have high population.	Suburban areas are areas that are mainly residential area with a larger population than rural areas.
Population rate	They consist of a small population.	They consist of a very high population.	They consist of a population larger than rural areas but less than that of urban areas.
Type of area	The area is generally a countryside area where farming can take place.	The area is both residential and commercial with offices and large buildings.	The area is exclusively residential and has a lot of single-family housing.
Occupation of people	These areas include people who are indulged in farming or dairy.	These areas include people who run their own business or work for a company.	As these areas are residential and near to the urban areas they include people who work in the urban areas.
Medical services and basic necessities	They have the basic necessities but these areas do not have the medical services for which they have to go to the cities.	They have all the basic necessities and advanced medical services. These areas also have big shopping malls and other showrooms.	They have the basic necessities and medical services. These areas have small marts for shopping and other small shops.

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What are Rural Areas?

Rural areas are open and spread out areas with small population. The population in these areas are generally self-sustaining.

They use natural resources of that area or work in coal mines.

Most of them are indulged in farming. Also, they have domestic animals for dairy products like milk.

They have small stores for buying groceries and dairy products.

These areas don’t have that many facilities but still have the basic necessities. People living in rural areas have to go to larger towns and cities for medical care, good schools and sometimes even shopping as not all the things are available in the rural areas.

 

What are Urban Areas?

Urban areas are large areas that consists of both living and working areas with high population. They have all the basic necessities and advanced medical services.

Also, these areas are a lot congested.

Urban areas don’t have any political autonomy and they only serve as a hub where all the resources needed by the people of rural and suburban areas are available.

Urban areas can sometimes be not so spread out but are called urban because of the total population. In general, the population in urban areas can be more than a thousand people per block of area.

 

What are Suburban Areas?

Suburban areas are mainly residential areas with population more than rural but less than urban areas. These areas have limited resources and only have a little political autonomy.

These areas have a lot of single-family homes that are close to one another. They have all the basic necessities and also have good medical services.

Suburban areas are also known as burbs.

They have small shopping malls which rural areas don’t have. These areas are near or outside of urban areas.

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Main Differences Between Rural, Urban and Suburban Areas

1. Rural areas are open and spread out areas with small population. Urban areas are large areas that consists of both living and working areas with high population. Suburban areas are mainly residential areas with population more than rural but less than urban areas.
2. Rural areas have small population. Urban areas have very high population. Suburban areas have larger population than rural areas but less population than urban areas.
3. Rural areas are countryside areas where farming can take place. Urban areas consist of both residential and commercial areas with big buildings. Suburban areas are mainly residential and have a lot of single-family houses.
4. In rural areas, people are mainly indulged in farming or dairy. In urban areas, people are all working in companies or run their own business. In suburban areas, as this area is near big cities people do work in small companies and run their own business.
5. Rural areas have the basic necessities and small shops for groceries and dairy products but for medical services have to go to the city. Urban area people have basic necessities as well as advanced medical services. Suburban area people have the basic necessities and medical services.

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References

1. https://rnojournal.binghamton.edu/index.php/RNO/article/view/55
2. https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01067223/file/2014_morganti_ResearchTransportationBusinessManagement.pdf