Association vs. Community — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on November 4, 2023
Association refers to an organized group with a common purpose, while a community is a group of people sharing a common location or interest.
Difference Between Association and Community
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
An association is typically a collection of individuals who unite for a specific purpose, often structured with rules and governance. A community, on the other hand, encompasses a broader group of people who may be linked by geographical location or shared interests without formal organization.
In the context of an association, membership is usually formalized through registration and often entails responsibilities and benefits. Communities, however, form more organically, where membership is often informal and based on shared values or cultural ties.
Associations are often created to advance a particular profession, hobby, or cause, with a clear mission and objectives outlined. Communities are generally understood as a social unit where commonality is found in shared attributes or geography, rather than a single-focused objective.
An association is defined by its collective action toward an explicit goal or interest, which differentiates it from a community where interaction is based on broader social or cultural bonds. Communities may exist without any specific goal other than the coexistence and support among its members.
Associations and communities both involve groups of people, but the former is characterized by a specific intent and organized structure, while the latter is marked by a more fluid and less formalized connection among its members.
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Comparison Chart
Basis of Formation
Common purpose or interest
Shared location or interests
Structure
Formal with rules
Informal with social ties
Membership
Often requires registration
Usually open and informal
Objectives
Specific and goal-oriented
Broad and social-oriented
Governance
Elected bodies or boards
Community leaders or informal governance
Compare with Definitions
Association
A group organized for a specific purpose.
She joined the local bar association to network with other lawyers.
Community
The condition of sharing or having certain attitudes and interests in common.
The online gaming community is very active.
Association
A mental connection between ideas.
In his mind, the smell of coffee had a strong association with early mornings.
Community
A group of people considered as a unit with respect to shared values and responsibilities.
Community service is an integral part of the school's ethos.
Association
The act of collaborating with someone.
The artist's association with the gallery led to her first successful exhibition.
Community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g.
Association
The process of making a formal agreement for mutual support.
The two companies entered into an association to improve their market position.
Community
A group of people living in the same locality and under the same government.
Association
The act of associating or being connected with
My parents disapproved of my association with my friends from across town.
Community
The district or locality in which such a group lives.
Association
An organized body of people who have an interest, activity, or purpose in common; a society.
Community
A group of people having common interests
The scientific community.
The international business community.
Association
A mental connection or relation between thoughts, feelings, ideas, or sensations
My therapist helped me examine my association of food with comfort.
Community
A group viewed as forming a distinct segment of society
The gay community.
The community of color.
Association
The act of expressing a link or connection between two things
"The media's association of visa overstayers with illegality is so strong and common as to shape public attitudes towards them" (Junya Morooka).
Community
Similarity or identity
A community of interests.
Association
A correlation or causal connection
There is a definite association of exercise with improved health.
Community
Sharing, participation, and fellowship
A sense of community.
Association
(Chemistry) Any of various processes of combination, such as hydration, solvation, or complex-ion formation, depending on relatively weak chemical bonding.
Community
Society as a whole; the public.
Association
(Ecology) A large number of organisms in a specific geographic area constituting a community with one or two dominant species.
Community
A group of organisms interacting with one another and with the environment in a specific region.
Association
(uncountable) The act of associating.
Community
The region occupied by a group of interacting organisms.
Association
(countable) The state of being associated; a connection to or an affiliation with something.
Community
(countable) A group sharing a common understanding, and often the same language, law, manners, and/or tradition.
Association
(statistics) Any relationship between two measured quantities that renders them statistically dependent (but not necessarily causal or a correlation).
Community
(countable) A residential or religious collective; a commune.
Association
A group of persons associated for a common purpose; an organization; society.
Community
A group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other.
Association
(object-oriented programming) Relationship between classes of objects that allows one object instance to cause another to perform an action on its behalf.
Community
A group of people interacting by electronic means for educational, professional, social, or other purposes; a virtual community.
Association
A benevolent overseas Chinese organization of popular origin for overseas Chinese individuals with the same surname or trade or business.
Community
(uncountable) The condition of having certain attitudes and interests in common.
Association
The act of associating, or state of being associated; union; connection, whether of persons of things.
Self-denial is a kind of holy association with God.
Community
Common enjoyment or possession; participation.
A community of goods
Association
Mental connection, or that which is mentally linked or associated with a thing.
Words . . . must owe their powers association.
Why should . . . the holiest words, with all their venerable associations, be profaned?
Community
Common character; likeness.
Association
Union of persons in a company or society for some particular purpose; as, the American Association for the Advancement of Science; a benevolent association. Specifically, as among the Congregationalists, a society, consisting of a number of ministers, generally the pastors of neighboring churches, united for promoting the interests of religion and the harmony of the churches.
Community
Commonness; frequency.
Association
A formal organization of people or groups of people;
He joined the Modern Language Association
Community
A local area within a county or county borough which is the lowest tier of local government, usually represented by a community council or town council, which is generally equivalent to a civil parish in England.
Association
The act of consorting with or joining with others;
You cannot be convicted of criminal guilt by association
Community
Common possession or enjoyment; participation; as, a community of goods.
The original community of all things.
An unreserved community of thought and feeling.
Association
The state of being connected together as in memory or imagination;
His association of his father with being beaten was too strong to break
Community
A body of people having common rights, privileges, or interests, or living in the same place under the same laws and regulations; as, a community of monks. Hence a number of animals living in a common home or with some apparent association of interests.
Creatures that in communities exist.
Association
A social or business relationship;
A valuable financial affiliation
He was sorry he had to sever his ties with other members of the team
Many close associations with England
Community
Society at large; a commonwealth or state; a body politic; the public, or people in general.
Burdens upon the poorer classes of the community.
Association
The process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination;
Conditioning is a form of learning by association
Community
Common character; likeness.
The essential community of nature between organic growth and inorganic growth.
Association
A relation resulting from interaction or dependence;
Flints were found in association with the prehistoric remains of the bear
The host is not always injured by association with a parasite
Community
Commonness; frequency.
Eyes . . . sick and blunted with community.
Association
(chemistry) any process of combination (especially in solution) that depends on relatively weak chemical bonding
Community
A group of people living in a particular local area;
The team is drawn from all parts of the community
Association
(ecology) a group of organisms (plants and animals) that live together in a certain geographical region and constitute a community with a few dominant species
Community
A group of people having ethnic or cultural or religious characteristics in common;
The Christian community of the apostolic age
He was well known throughout the Catholic community
Association
A statistical relationship between two or more events.
There is a positive association between exercise and mental health.
Community
Common ownership;
They shared a community of possessions
Community
A group of nations having common interests;
They hoped to join the NATO community
Community
The body of people in a learned occupation;
The news spread rapidly through the medical community
Community
Agreement as to goals;
The preachers and the bootleggers found they had a community of interests
Community
A district where people live; occupied primarily by private residences
Community
(ecology) a group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other
Community
A group living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
The local community was known for its friendly people.
Community
A feeling of fellowship with others.
There is a strong sense of community in small towns.
Community
A body of nations or states unified by common interests.
The international community condemned the act of aggression.
Common Curiosities
Can an association be part of a community?
Yes, associations can form within communities based on shared interests.
Are associations always non-profit?
Not necessarily; associations can be non-profit or for-profit, depending on their purpose.
What is the role of an association's leadership?
They manage the association’s activities, finances, and enforce its rules and bylaws.
What defines an association?
An association is an organized group formed for a specific purpose, often with formal membership.
How does one become part of a community?
One becomes part of a community typically through shared location, interests, or cultural ties.
Do all communities have a physical location?
No, communities can be both place-based or centered around shared interests, even online.
What binds a community together?
Shared values, culture, interests, or geography typically bind a community.
How is community leadership chosen?
Community leaders may emerge naturally or be elected, depending on the community’s structure.
Are associations considered legal entities?
Many associations are, particularly if they're formally registered.
Can a person belong to multiple associations?
Yes, individuals can be members of multiple associations.
How does one join an association?
Joining usually requires an application and sometimes dues or fees.
Can communities have formal rules?
Some communities may have guidelines, but they're typically less formal than those of associations.
What kind of support does a community provide?
Communities provide social support, a sense of belonging, and shared responsibility among members.
What activities might an association undertake?
Associations often host events, fundraise, and advocate for their cause.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
