Neighborhood and community are terms that are often used interchangeably by people to refer to both geographic areas in proximity and people of a certain ethnicity or race. While the two terms are related, there are subtle differences between them that this article will explore.
Neighborhood
Neighborhood is a term that arises from the word neighbor, referring to people living near or adjacent to each other. In a city, a neighborhood is generally the area surrounding or in close vicinity to a specific location. However, the term has also come to mean the people living near one another in a particular area or district. Typically, the neighborhood refers to a surrounding area or region.
Community
Community is a term that refers to groups of people living in a particular area or district. It can also mean all people living in a specific area. The term is also used to refer to ethnic groups living within a particular area, such as the Black community, Hispanic community, and so on. Additionally, the word is used to describe specific groups within a community, such as the business community or community of lawyers. The term community is also used for community colleges, community hospitals, and community service.
Key Takeaways
- Neighborhood mostly refers to the surrounding or adjoining area of a city, while community is used to describe groups of people living in a particular area or district.
- There is no reference to geographical boundaries when talking about a community, whereas there is a definite geographical entity when referring to a neighborhood.
- A neighborhood is used more in a physical sense, whereas there are social implications of the concept of community.
