Area Feel is a new designation* being used on Niche and is still being developed. The factors that are considered are population density, the proportion of single-family homes, the proportion of residents that drive/walk/bike/take transit to work, and the density of amenities. You can view our Area Feel definitions below.
The following are Niche’s Area Feel categories:
Rural
- Lowest population density. Residents live in single-family homes. Residents drive to work and have little to no access to amenities without traveling to a more densely populated area.
Suburban Rural Mix
- Low population density. Single-family homes are the most widely available housing option. Most of the population drives to work and drives to other locations to access most amenities.
Sparse Suburban
- Medium-low population density. Most housing options are single-family homes. Most of the population drives to work. There is some limited access to amenities.
Dense Suburban
- Medium population density. There are some apartment buildings and many single-family homes. A higher percentage of the population drives to work. There is access to some but not all amenities.
Urban Suburban Mix
- Medium to high population density. There are many apartment buildings as well as some single-family homes. A moderate proportion of residents will drive to work while others will bike, walk, or utilize public transit. There is access to some amenities but might require a longer commute.
Sparse Urban (Industrial Areas)
- Very low population density. It is located in an urban area, but few people live there and access to amenities is not readily available. Typically this is a location that is only used for industrial purposes.
Urban
- High population density, many large apartment buildings, and a few single-family homes. A large share of the population does not drive to work and has access to lots of amenities.
Dense Urban
- Highest population density, most housing is in apartment buildings with very few single-family homes. Most of the population's residents bike, walk, or use public transit to get to work. There is quick access to a wide variety of amenities.
Niche does not have a direct breakdown for the 8 different categories because it is not based on population numbers. The designations are dependent on how the surrounding locations are classified and the types of housing and businesses located in a given area. The Area Feel classification does not get counted into grades or rankings.
Below is additional information about our Places to Live data.
Best Places To Live Methodology
*This is Niche’s proprietary approach and is not directly linked to US Census data or definitions