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I think the posters here are using "town" in two different usages. One is the legal definition, another is a more colloquial usage meaning "a populated place less built up than a city". I think the OP meant the latter. I don't think the legal definition matters much unless you're dealing with the local laws or government.
Long Island has some communities that are likely denser than those "cities" you listed. But no one would call them cities; they're just suburbs with houses that happen to be rather close together and are mostly bedroom communities with some small businesses mixed in. Maybe a good definition of a city is a place that has some core to it, at least is a destination of its own in the metro area, rather than a bedroom community.
Where I live fits all your criteria of a town except the low density part. Almost half of the population does not live in single family homes and the center is definitely not low density. There are large 4 story apartment buildings near me; but also farmland in walking distance. The change from somewhat dense housing to farmland is rather abrupt.
In Massachusetts, legally there's not a huge difference between towns and cities. A town can have a town meeting form of government while a city usually has a mayor.
Yeah, but then you have tricky things such as edge cities aka boomburbs aka suburban cities aka planned cities.
Where one identifies boomburbs is a tough call.
Anyone that really wants to know what a Boomburb is, should read this Census research:
The researchers were stating they are kind of like suburbs which mimics a city with high rises, lifestyle centers that resemble street shopping, and a core business area.
Also, do you consider a suburb to be a neighborhood within a city or to be a separate community?
Well I guess technically you have two types of communities:
cities (incorporated communities)
and then the un-incorporated communities and usually known as towns since they have community service districts and community service meetings which are like town meetings.
And I guess there are many types of cities. Satelite cities, suburbs, ex-urbs, college towns, farming towns, edge cities, tech towns, tourist towns, etc...
cities (incorporated communities)
and then the un-incorporated communities and usually known as towns since they have community service districts and community service meetings which are like town meetings.
Well in my state (Massachusetts), there is not such thing as unincorporated communities; all land is in a town or a city. And a town is incorporated just as much as a city. I'm not sure what the legal difference between the two is actually; I think it's minor, mostly a naming choice.
Well in my state (Massachusetts), there is not such thing as unincorporated communities; all land is in a town or a city. And a town is incorporated just as much as a city. I'm not sure what the legal difference between the two is actually; I think it's minor, mostly a naming choice.
Well, all states differ. In California, you have cities and un-incorporated communities. But in other states, land owned by the county is a town.
So if there is no un-incorporated what does your county government do?
Well, all states differ. In California, you have cities and un-incorporated communities. But in other states, land owned by the county is a town.
So if there is no un-incorporated what does your county government do?
Yea, I know states differ. I was just pointing out your descriptions won't work where I live.
My county government does nothing as it doesn't exist; the county government was dissolved in 1999. There is a county sheriff but he is a state employee. Some of the local towns / cities (as I said the difference is mostly a naming choice) cooperate for some regional things.
Well I guess technically you have two types of communities:
cities (incorporated communities)
and then the un-incorporated communities and usually known as towns since they have community service districts and community service meetings which are like town meetings.
Technically, you don't.
The name and structure of political subdivisions depend on the structure within each state; they're all different. For instance, within the larger subdivisions of counties, Pennsylvania has three types of incorporated communities: cities, boroughs, and some townships. Other townships are not incorporated. Some boroughs call themselves "municipalities". A village or a town is an unincorporated community within a township that has no governing structure other than the township.
One "town" in Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, is legally incorporated.
To become a city, one or more towns, townships, or boroughs with a population of at least 10,000 must ask on a ballot referendum whether the municipality should be chartered as a city.
Throw "home rule" in there, and it really muddies up the waters.
In New York, "towns" are similar to townships, "villages" are small incorporated communities. In Ohio, a village is an incorporated community with a population of less than 5,000; townships are not incorporated. Kentucky has counties and cities, nothing else.
The name and structure of political subdivisions depend on the structure within each state; they're all different. For instance, within the larger subdivisions of counties, Pennsylvania has three types of incorporated communities: cities, boroughs, and some townships. Other townships are not incorporated. Some boroughs call themselves "municipalities". A village or a town is an unincorporated community within a township that has no governing structure other than the township.
One "town" in Pennsylvania, Bloomsburg, is legally incorporated.
To become a city, one or more towns, townships, or boroughs with a population of at least 10,000 must ask on a ballot referendum whether the municipality should be chartered as a city.
Throw "home rule" in there, and it really muddies up the waters.
In New York, "towns" are similar to townships, "villages" are small incorporated communities. In Ohio, a village is an incorporated community with a population of less than 5,000; townships are not incorporated. Kentucky has counties and cities, nothing else.
Simple, isn't it?
Well there is no national definition for what a city and town is. But in most cases you have a city and town. Then some states have boroughs, villages, and townships which are if you ask me, are another name for rural or underpopulated cities.
We have 7 cities in my county of 270,000 population. 6 of those counties are very rural and have population below 40,000 population and the average density are below 1,000 ppl per square mile. Then there is about 15 towns which are communities under a county government. The largest town at 17,100 population and the smallest at around 500 population.
And then there is the other city that has 45,000 population but has a downtown core that serves the whole county and has several buildings over 50ft tall and about 3 buildings at 75ft tall on one street. The downtown density is at 5,000 ppl per square mile due to dense suburban housing and lofts in the downtown area. In the downtown are mixed-use centers, lofts, government buildings, shops, cafes, coffee shops, a movie theater, churches, and other businesses and organizations. Other than the urban downtown, the rest of the city is low density suburban and rural housing.
Most of California is fairly dense too because the coastal communities built as far dense possible close to the coast. If it's not dense suburban housing it's a built up urban area.
No, there isn't (I believe that was my point ... ). But you keep trying to apply one.
Exactly.
No universal definition. This is a semantic argument.
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). But you keep trying to apply one.
