Urban vs Rural Communities

There are a number of differences between the Urban and the Rural communities when paying
attention to the varied political, social, technological, environmental and social dimensions.
There are classifications of human settlements as rural and urban in different countries and
criterion for marking as a community as rural or urban is different in different countries. Mostly
a settlement is classified as urban when the density of population is high. So you would
find cities and towns densely populated whereas rural areas such as villages and hamlets are
sparsely populated. This has become all the more evident in modern times because of large-scale
population of disenchanted youth from rural areas to cities in search of better employment
opportunities. There are countries that are dominated by rural areas while there are some that
have very little rural communities. In the west, you would find that very few people are engaged
in farming activities that form the backbone of rural communities whereas there are countries
like India where despite all the modernization, agriculture remains the major source of income
for a majority of the population. As a result, in countries like India, rural communities are more
than urban communities. In this article, we shall try to highlight the differences between these
two types of communities.
What is Urban Community?
Urban communities are characterized by large scale industrialization that is evident from the
high number of employment opportunities in these areas. The situation is similar whether we talk
of a city in a developing or a developed city. One thing that is always associated with urban
communities is pollution. This has to do with not just industries but also modern means
of transport such as motorcycles, cars, buses and other modes of transport. Life in cities and
towns is very fast paced, and people seem to be in an eternal hurry trying to beat the clock.
Parties and social gatherings are an integral part of the lives of people in urban communities
while these are very few in case of rural communities One thing in favor of urban communities is
that because of technological advancement, they reap the rewards of better civic amenities
though even on this count rural communities are never complaining and happy with what they
get. Now let us move on to an understanding of the nature of the Rural community.
What is Rural Community?
Rural communities are conspicuous by the absence of industrialization though there is
advancement in terms of farm equipment and machinery. Unlike Urban communities, rural
communities are blessed in this regard as they can still breathe in pure and natural air. Rural
communities are markedly different from urban communities if one looks at both from the point

of view of lifestyles. Life is relaxed and slow paced in rural communities. People in villages have
more time for leisure activities and seem to enjoy nature more than people in urban communities.
Rural communities get pure dairy products and other food products such as vegetables and fruits
whereas there is also the possibility of contamination and pollution when it comes to these things
for urban communities. All this is reflected in better health and fitness of rural communities than
urban communities. Rural communities are not that bothered by fashion and fashionable clothes
as their counterparts in cities. There are no shopping malls in villages and people happily make
do with what is on offer while people in urban communities remain perplexed with what is in
fashion and what is outdated all the time.
What is the Difference Between Urban and Rural Communities?
Urban communities reap the rewards of advancements and technical gadgets whereas rural
communities are closer to nature and reap health benefits
Rural communities are sparsely populated while urban communities are densely populated
There is much pollution in urban communities while there is much less in rural communities
Rural communities are not much concerned with fashion while fashion remains at the top of
priorities of people in urban communities
Lifestyle in rural communities is natural and relaxed while it is fast and stressful for urban
communities.