neighborhood
Last updatedWhat to know
A neighborhood refers to a localized district or section within a town, city, rural, or suburban area. Neighborhoods are often quite distinct and have disparate cultures, even within a wider residential area. Neighborhood boundaries generally are not precisely demarcated, particularly within cities. Neighborhoods exist in urban, suburban, and rural areas, though some news consumers may conflate the term with suburban life. In general, neighborhood is the preferred term rather than shortened versions. Being specific about the demographics of a neighborhood can be helpful to avoid outdated ideas about neighborhoods’ demographics. In addition, being specific about a neighborhood’s location and the mean income level of residents can be useful in conversations about topics like gentrification.
Historically racist connotations around terms like “hood” or “ghetto” may make them fraught to use outside of direct quotations. If including, some context of their loaded history is helpful for clarity.
Additional references
- Neighborhood (National Geographic)
- What is a neighborhood? (Data Center Research)
- Changing Contexts: Neighborhood Definition and Urban Organization (American Quarterly)
- Nabe or Hood? A Brief History of Shortening ‘Neighborhood’ (Bloomberg)
- What Are the Ethics of Gentrification? (Housing Is a Human Right)
Summary
A neighborhood refers to a localized district or section within a town, city, rural, or suburban area. Being specific about the demographics of a neighborhood can be helpful to avoid outdated or stereotypical ideas about neighborhoods’ demographics. In addition, being specific about a neighborhood’s location and the mean income level of residents can be useful in conversations about topics like gentrification. Historically racist connotations around terms like “hood” or “ghetto” may make them fraught to use outside of direct quotations. If including, some context of their loaded history is helpful for clarity.