Township vs. Village — What's the Difference?

Oversees multiple smaller communities.

Small community smaller than a town.

Geographic subdivision within a county.

Represents a singular, localized community.

Has a local government for basic services.

Typically dependent on higher levels of government.

Varies in function across regions.

May not have a formal local government.

Often provides services such as waste management.

Often has rural characteristics.

A township is some kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. While the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule.

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Though villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighborhoods.

A subdivision of a county in most northeast and Midwest US states, having the status of a unit of local government with varying governmental powers.

A small group of dwellings in a rural area, usually ranking in size between a hamlet and a town.

A public land surveying unit of 36 sections or 36 square miles.

In some US states, an incorporated community smaller in population than a town.

An ancient administrative division of a large parish in England.

The inhabitants of a village; villagers.

A suburb or city in South Africa formerly designated by the government as a predominantly black residential area.

A dense group of animal habitations

The territory of a town.

A rural habitation of size between a hamlet and a town.

A subdivision of a county.

(British) A rural habitation that has a church, but no market.

An area set aside for nonwhite occupation.

(Australia) A planned community such as a retirement community or shopping district.

A nonwhite (usually subeconomic) area attached to a city.

(Philippines) A gated community.

A small town.

A small assemblage of houses in the country, less than a town or city.

The district or territory of a town.

A community of people smaller than a town

In surveys of the public land of the United States, a division of territory six miles square, containing 36 sections.

A settlement smaller than a town

In Canada, one of the subdivisions of a county.

A mainly residential district of Manhattan; `the Village' became a home for many writers and artists in the 20th century

An administrative division of a county;

Typically, yes, a township is larger both in area and population.

Yes, townships have a formal government, whereas villages may lack one or rely on another entity.

The concept is most common in North America, though similar divisions exist in other regions.

No, not all townships contain villages, as some only have unincorporated rural areas.

Villages usually remain villages but can incorporate into towns or cities.

Services like road maintenance, zoning, and waste collection.

Townships generally have larger populations, while villages are smaller and closer-knit.

Townships may provide emergency services or rely on the county or other jurisdictions.

Villages are usually contained within a single township or county but may share borders.

In North America, townships are common, while globally, villages are more prevalent.

Yes, some townships incorporate as towns or cities for greater self-governance.

Townships often have tax-based funding, whereas villages might rely on higher government support.

Small-scale, often locally-owned businesses like stores or farms.

Yes, some villages are incorporated and manage their local affairs.

In some regions, it is a legal designation, while in others, it's more informal.