House vs. Dwelling — What's the Difference?

A building for human residence.

A place where people live.

A dwelling place constructed as a permanent home.

A habitation for individuals or families.

A property intended for family occupancy.

Any inhabited structure.

A residence typically owned by the occupants.

A legal term for any residential accommodation.

A standalone residential structure.

A residence, possibly temporary or permanent.

A house is a single-unit residential building, which may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Houses use a range of different roofing systems to keep precipitation such as rain from getting into the dwelling space.

In law, a dwelling (also residence, abode) is a self-contained unit of accommodation used by one or more households as a home - such as a house, apartment, mobile home, houseboat, vehicle, or other "substantial" structure. The concept of a dwelling has significance in relation to search and seizure, conveyancing of real property, burglary, trespass, and land-use planning.

A building for human habitation, especially one that consists of a ground floor and one or more upper storeys

A house, flat, or other place of residence

A building in which people meet for a particular activity

A place to live in; an abode.

A religious community that occupies a particular building

A house or place in which a person lives; a habitation, a home.

A legislative or deliberative assembly

Present participle of dwell

A style of electronic dance music typically having sparse, repetitive vocals and a fast beat

Habitation; place or house in which a person lives; abode; domicile.

A twelfth division of the celestial sphere, based on the positions of the ascendant and midheaven at a given time and place, and determined by any of a number of methods.

Housing that someone is living in;

Old-fashioned term for bingo

(of an animal or plant) kept in, frequenting, or infesting buildings.

Relating to a firm, institution, or society

Provide with shelter or accommodation

Provide space for; contain or accommodate

A structure serving as a dwelling for one or more persons, especially for a family.

A household or family.

Something, such as a burrow or shell, that serves as a shelter or habitation for a wild animal.

A dwelling for a group of people, such as students or members of a religious community, who live together as a unit

A building that functions as the primary shelter or location of something

A building devoted to a particular activity

A facility, such as a theater or restaurant, that provides entertainment or food for the public

The seating area in such an establishment

The audience or patrons of such an establishment

A commercial firm

A publishing company

A gambling casino.

(Slang) A house of prostitution.

A residential college within a university.

Often House A legislative or deliberative assembly.

The hall or chamber in which such an assembly meets.

A quorum of such an assembly.

Often House A family line including ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble family

One of the 12 parts into which the heavens are divided in astrology.

The sign of the zodiac indicating the seat or station of a planet in the heavens. Also called mansion.

House music.

To provide living quarters for; lodge

To shelter, keep, or store in a house or other structure

To fit (something) into a socket or mortise.

(Nautical) To secure or stow safely.

To reside; dwell.

To take shelter.

A structure built or serving as an abode of human beings.

An apartment building within a public housing estate.

(uncountable) Size and quality of residential accommodations.

A building intended to contain a single household, as opposed to an apartment or condominium or building containing these.

The people who live in a house; a household.

A building used for something other than a residence (typically with qualifying word).

A place of business; a company or organisation, especially a printing press, a publishing company, or a couturier.

A place of public accommodation or entertainment, especially a public house, an inn, a restaurant, a theatre, or a casino; or the management thereof.

(historical) A workhouse.

The audience for a live theatrical or similar performance.

A theatre.

(politics) A building where a deliberative assembly meets; whence the assembly itself, particularly a component of a legislature.

A dynasty; a family with its ancestors and descendants, especially a royal or noble one.

(metaphorical) A place of rest or repose.

A grouping of schoolchildren for the purposes of competition in sports and other activities.

An animal's shelter or den, or the shell of an animal such as a snail, used for protection.

(astrology) One of the twelve divisions of an astrological chart.

(cartomancy) The fourth Lenormand card.

A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.

(curling) The four concentric circles where points are scored on the ice.

Lotto; bingo.

(uncountable) A children's game in which the players pretend to be members of a household.

A small stand of trees in a swamp.

(sudoku) A set of cells in a Sudoku puzzle which must contain each digit exactly once, such as a row, column, or 3×3 box in classic Sudoku.

(music genre) House music.

(transitive) To keep within a structure or container.

(transitive) To admit to residence; to harbor.

To take shelter or lodging; to abide; to lodge.

To dwell within one of the twelve astrological houses.

(transitive) To contain or cover mechanical parts.

(transitive) To contain one part of an object for the purpose of locating the whole.

(obsolete) To drive to a shelter.

(obsolete) To deposit and cover, as in the grave.

(nautical) To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe.

To eat.

A structure intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but especially, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, a mansion.

Household affairs; domestic concerns; particularly in the phrase to keep house. See below.

Those who dwell in the same house; a household.

A family of ancestors, descendants, and kindred; a race of persons from the same stock; a tribe; especially, a noble family or an illustrious race; as, the house of Austria; the house of Hanover; the house of Israel.

One of the estates of a kingdom or other government assembled in parliament or legislature; a body of men united in a legislative capacity; as, the House of Lords; the House of Commons; the House of Representatives; also, a quorum of such a body. See Congress, and Parliament.

A firm, or commercial establishment.

A public house; an inn; a hotel.

A twelfth part of the heavens, as divided by six circles intersecting at the north and south points of the horizon, used by astrologers in noting the positions of the heavenly bodies, and casting horoscopes or nativities. The houses were regarded as fixed in respect to the horizon, and numbered from the one at the eastern horizon, called the ascendant, first house, or house of life, downward, or in the direction of the earth's revolution, the stars and planets passing through them in the reverse order every twenty-four hours.

A square on a chessboard, regarded as the proper place of a piece.

An audience; an assembly of hearers, as at a lecture, a theater, etc.; as, a thin or a full house.

The body, as the habitation of the soul.

The grave.

To take or put into a house; to shelter under a roof; to cover from the inclemencies of the weather; to protect by covering; as, to house one's family in a comfortable home; to house farming utensils; to house cattle.

To drive to a shelter.

To admit to residence; to harbor.

To deposit and cover, as in the grave.

To stow in a safe place; to take down and make safe; as, to house the upper spars.

To take shelter or lodging; to abide to dwell; to lodge.

A dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families;

An official assembly having legislative powers;

A building in which something is sheltered or located;

A social unit living together;

A building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented;

Members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments;

Aristocratic family line;

The members of a religious community living together

The audience gathered together in a theatre or cinema;

Play in which children take the roles of father or mother or children and pretend to interact like adults;

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

The management of a gambling house or casino;

Contain or cover;

Provide housing for;

Houses, as property, often have extensive legal protections regarding ownership and residency rights. Other dwellings, like rentals, are protected under tenant laws, which can vary widely.

Property taxes on houses are generally based on property value, which can include land and the structure itself. Taxes for other dwellings, like apartments, might be included in rental costs and based on different valuation methods.

No, the term 'dwelling' specifically refers to structures where people reside, thus it does not apply to non-residential structures.

Generally, houses are larger, offering more square footage compared to other types of dwellings like apartments or mobile homes.

Yes, houses typically have a greater environmental impact due to their size and land use compared to more compact dwellings like apartments, which can be more energy-efficient.

A mobile home is considered a dwelling due to its residential use, but not traditionally classified as a house because it is not a permanent, fixed structure.

Financing a house typically involves mortgages with long-term payment plans, whereas other dwellings, like apartments, might involve leases without the option to buy.

The cost of a house usually includes land ownership, size, and construction materials, making it more expensive than other types of dwellings such as apartments.

House owners are typically responsible for all maintenance and repairs, whereas in other dwellings, like rented apartments, these responsibilities might fall to the landlord.

Safety standards for houses can include things like fireplaces and staircases, which have specific regulations, whereas other dwellings, particularly temporary ones, might focus more on general habitation safety.

Yes, businesses can operate in both houses and other dwellings, depending on zoning laws and the nature of the business.

Culturally, houses often symbolize stability and family heritage, whereas other dwellings might be seen as more transient or utilitarian.

Houses often have specific architectural requirements like foundations and roofing, which are more structured compared to other dwellings that might include prefabricated elements.

Services like yard maintenance, waste disposal, and community amenities are more commonly associated with houses, especially in suburban areas.

Houses are often located in residential neighborhoods with similar structures and community services, while other dwellings might be part of mixed-use developments or more densely populated areas.