Bedroom communities, or commuter towns, are smaller cities or towns located further away from major cities than suburbs. They focus on housing sales and retail, not heavy industry or technology. They offer large homes away from the city, but employment opportunities may be limited to low-wage service or retail jobs. Prices can be higher than suburban areas. Exurbs offer a low-key alternative to larger cities.
Many people commute to big cities every day for work, but few could ever afford to live within their borders. A number of suburban areas have also become too expensive for the average worker. One solution to this work-versus-life crisis is known as a bedroom community or commuter town. This type of community is usually a smaller city or town located even further away from a major city than the suburbs. The economic basis of the community is housing sales and general retailing, not heavy industry or technology.
While some suburban areas may still be considered bedroom communities, many of them have either been absorbed into the larger metropolitan area or have developed their own industrial and commercial bases. A true dormitory community is generally found in exurbs, less developed areas separated from the suburbs by green spaces. A commuter town may be on a major highway to larger cities, or it may be in a more isolated semi-rural area.
A bedroom community is often an incorporated city with its own municipal government and utilities, but the economic emphasis is more on housing and retail sales rather than entertainment or industry. Employment opportunities for a commuter city’s younger residents may be limited to low-wage service or retail jobs. Most of the community’s residents have paid jobs in the larger cities or work in the more developed suburbs nearby.
Ironically, housing prices in popular bedroom communities near major cities can be significantly higher than those found in suburban areas. While suburban cities may have a diverse economy, these communities generally offer an important commodity, and that is large homes located away from the city. Prices for houses in them can be very competitive indeed.
A bedroom community located in exurbs may not receive the same name recognition as larger suburban cities, but many residents prefer the low-key nature of commuter towns to the constant dynamics of a larger city.
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