Difference between village and city?
The first difference that strikes in my mind is more green vs more buildings. Or, fewer people vs more people, busy highways vs. country roads.
Villages consist of smaller communities mainly depending on agriculture as their occupation, while the more dense population of the urban areas depend on both white-collar and blue-collar jobs except for agriculture.
This is the simplest way to put the difference between these two different backgrounds of human settlements. However, there is more to it than what I just explained in a few words.
This article will help you spot the difference between two different human settlements backgrounds. We will start by defining villages and cities.
What Is A Village?

The origin of the word village is from a French term denoting a group of small buildings. It is a small settlement found in rural backgrounds. The only difference between a village and a town is – a village is smaller than a town and larger than a hamlet. Only a small number of people ranging from 500 to 2500, live in a village.
Cities have a few shops. Only a few numbers of shops in the cities sell different grocery items and clothes.
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What Is A City?

City, another human settlement usually consisting of a more dense population derives its name from another French word that means citizenry. Cities are usually filled with more people and different government and industrial infrastructures. A larger number of shops, sustainable architecture, and more accessible public transport characterise a settlement as a city. Also, cities must have a minimum of 1,500 inhabitants per km2. Also, the total number of minimum people in the cities is 50,000. Also, the denizens of cities are mainly involved in nonagricultural works.
However, cities can also be built around agricultural fields and in a rural setting. Especially developing countries often build themselves around large agricultural farms.
You can define a city in three ways. Here are the three different approaches to defining a city –
- The first one is the demographic approach which is based on population density and size.
- Another aspect is the institutional approach which takes the availability of the different institutions in the cities. For example, markets, schools, colleges, hospitals, and other government and private institutions.
- Another approach is the cultural approach.
I think this should help you understand the difference between city and village.
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What Is A Town?

Towns are larger places compared to villages with their defined boundaries and local government. They are generally smaller than cities. The central part of the town is the shopping and business area. A town needs to consist of a minimum population of at least 5,000 inhabitants and at least 300 inhabitants per km2.
A significant difference between village and town is the fixed boundary that towns have, but villages don’t.
Difference Between Village And City

There are significant differences between city life vs village life. Starting from the overall setting of both settlements to the profession and lifestyles of the inhabitants differ largely. Here is a detailed difference between village life and city life.
Village | City |
Villages are places with small groups of people, and their buildings are located close together, usually at the heart of the settlement. It facilitates better cohesion and socialisation. | Cities are places with a denser population and are the heart of culture, commerce, and well-defined houses with better transport and other services. |
A village consists of smaller areas of land. | The city areas are wider and larger than both towns and villages. |
The city government has the municipal mayor as the head. | There is a president or a chairperson in the village to head the whole community. |
Villages are located in rural areas, and most people are connected to agriculture as their main occupation. | Cities have more jobs and different services. |
Villages do not levy sales tax and property taxes. | On the other hand, cities issue building permits and levy taxes. |
So, those were the main differences between cities and villages. Villages and towns are also different. Most importantly, towns are also different compared to cities. Cities are larger compared to towns, while towns are larger than villages.
The main difference between towns and villages lies in their population and their areas of expansion. On the other hand, villages are larger than the hamlets, with a comparatively smaller size and volume of human settlement.
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Final Words
The difference between village and city is mainly based upon the population and the different services and occupations prominent in each of them. Villages and towns boast a cleaner and fresher environment compared to cities. At the same time, cities are large in size and have more dense populations.
Did you find this article helpful? Please share your feedback in the comment section. Also, if you have any questions, you can leave them in the comment section.
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