Bedroom Community

Definition of "bedroom community"

Written by

Xiao Linda Messerschmidt

Keller Williams Realty

The definition of a bedroom community, or commuter town in real estate is a unique type of community that merely uses their homes to sleep, while doing everything else offsite. In a bedroom community, people work, eat and engage in recreational activities away from their homes, only returning to their domiciles to sleep.  

These communities are a fascinating phenomenon, characteristic of the unique social paradigms in large cities that manifest due to the dynamic nature of modern metropolitan life. Now, let’s look at an example of a bedroom community, and exactly what life looks like in one of these unique areas. 

Pros and cons of living in a bedroom community

In the past half-century, bedroom communities have cropped up across the United States, in virtually every major metropolitan city. A desire to escape the traffic, pollution, high crime rates and other woes inherent to city life has resulted in the forming of many such neighborhoods and suburban areas, as families increasingly migrate outwards into the periphery of major cities. 

There are many intrinsic advantages to living in a bedroom community. Safety, better schools, cleaner air and less noise pollution all contribute to a higher standard of living than one would find in an urban environment. Many suburban areas are actually bedroom communities, albeit unbeknownst even to many that live there. 

Despite the intrinsic advantages that accompany bedroom community living, there are also downsides that have to be acknowledged. Commuting to and from work eats into family time, Shopping becomes difficult when most stores are at a considerable distance from home and maintaining a social life with friends in the city becomes draining after a while. 

Weighing the upsides and the negatives, it’s safe to say that living in a bedroom community is ultimately a matter of personal preference. For some, it is well worth the inconveniences; for others, it is simply untenable as a way of life.