Difference between Rural and Urban Life:

SR .NO

Rural Life

Urban life

1

Environment: Close / direct contact with nature. Preliminaries influenced by natural environmental elements like rain, heat, drought, frost, sow etc. over which there is no control.

Greater isolation from nature. Predominance of manmade (artificial environment).

2

Occupation: Agricultural is the fundamental occupation. Majority of population is engaged in agriculture. Neighbors of Agriculturist are also agriculturist

No fundamental occupation. Most of people engaged in principally in manufacturing, mechanical pursuits, trade commerce, professions and other non-agricultural occupations.

3

Size of Community: Size of community is very small in size. Agriculturalism and size of community are negatively co-related.

Size of community is large in size. Urbanity and size of community are positively co-related.

4

Density of Population: Density of population is lower. Density and rurality are negatively co-related.

Size of community is large in size. Urbanity and size of community are positively co-related.

5

Homogeneity and heterogeneity of population: More homogenous in social, racial and psychological traits. Negative co0-relation with heterogeneity. (Most are agriculturists are directly connected with agriculture).

More heterogeneous than rural. Urbanity and heterogeneity are positively co-related (Different type of population is seen in cities, different places, religions, caste, class race, community, economic and cultural differences, occupations and behavioral pattern also different).

6

Social Differentiations: Low degree of social differentiation

High degree of social differentiation

7

Social Stratification:     More rigid Fewer economic, occupational, and sociopolitical classes. Less social stratification than urban.

Less rigid Urban community is much more strategic than the rural with having much more economic, occupational and social political classes.

8

Social Mobility: Mobility is less intensive. Territorial, occupational and other forms of social mobility of the population are less intensive. They follows same occupation, stay in the same village

Social mobility is more intensive. People change occupation and even leave places in search of new and better occupation

9

Social Interaction: Less numerous contacts. The area of interaction system is narrower. More professional, simple, face to face. Informal, sincere relations.

More numerous contacts. Area of interactions is wider, the relation are superficial and short-lived. The popular are more formal and showy.

10

Social Solidarity: Social solidarity or cohesiveness and unity are more stronger / greater than urban. Common traits, similarity of experiences, common aims and purposes, common customs and traditions are the basis of unity in village. Strong sense of belonging and unity.

Social solidarity is less stronger than rural, dissimilarities, division of labour, interdependence, specialization, impersonal, strictly formal relationships results comparatively less sense of belonging and unity.

11

Social Control: Social pressure by community is strong. Conformity of norms is more by informal social pressure.

Control is more by formal impersonal means of laws, prescribed rules and regulations.

12

Social Change: Rural social life is relatively static and stable.

Urban social life is under constant and rapid social change

13

Culture: Sacred (Religious) culture.

Secular (Non-religious) culture.

14

Leadership Pattern: Choice of leadership more on the basis of known personal qualities of individual, due to greater face to face contacts and more intimate knowledge of individual.

Choices of leadership is comparatively less on the basis of know personal qualities of individual

15

Group: Rural society is simple Unit-group society

Urban society is complex multi-group society.

16

Social Institutions: Most of the institutions are natural outgrowth of rural social life. Less enacted institutions.

Numerous enacted institutions.

17

Standard of Living: Home conveniences, public utilities, educational recreational religious, medical, communication and other facilities for living can be provided if supported by sufficient population base

In urban areas such conveniences and facilities are provided due to greater density of population

18

Standard of living is low.

Standard of living is high.