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Residence vs. Resident — What's the Difference?

By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on May 29, 2024
Residence is the place where someone lives, while resident refers to the person who inhabits a given place.
Residence vs. Resident — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Residence and Resident

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Key Differences

A residence is a dwelling a physical structure or space where someone lives. It refers to the house, apartment, or other such structure. Resident, in contrast, denotes an inhabitant of a residence or locale.
Residence implies a location and can be temporary or permanent. It can be an apartment, house, dormitory, or other form of dwelling. The resident is the individual who occupies this dwelling, making it their home or living space.
The term residence can also imply the act of dwelling in a place. Conversely, a resident carries a sense of belonging and often has legal implications, such as the right to vote or access to local services.
The type of residence can denote status or type of living arrangement, such as a single-family residence. A resident, however, is not defined by the residence but by their choice or circumstance of living there.
Residence is about the structure or place. The resident is about the person. One can change their residence without ceasing to be a resident of a city or country, and vice versa.
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Comparison Chart

Definition

The place where one lives
The person who lives in a place

Usage

Noun, as in a place of living
Noun, referring to a person

Context

Architectural, legal, domicile
Demographic, legal, community

Grammatical Use

Used as a noun and occasionally as a verb (residing)
Strictly used as a noun

Connotations

Can imply status, type, or legality of habitation
Often implies permanence or legal status

Compare with Definitions

Residence

A person's legal address or domicile
Her residence is registered in Nevada.

Resident

A doctor in training at a hospital
She's a resident at the local hospital.

Residence

The structure where someone lives
Their residence overlooks the lake.

Resident

A person who lives in a specific place
She is a long-term resident of the building.

Residence

Type of housing structure
The residence was designed by a renowned architect.

Resident

Someone who has legal rights in a place
As a resident, he can access the community pool.

Residence

The period or act of living in a place
His residence in the apartment spanned five years.

Resident

A person's association with a place
The residents of the town voted for a new mayor.

Residence

A living arrangement
They moved to their summer residence in July.

Resident

A diplomatic official residing in a foreign seat of government.

Residence

A residence is a place (normally a building) used as a home or dwelling, where people reside.

Resident

A colonial official acting as adviser to the ruler of a protected state, often having quasi-gubernatorial powers.

Residence

A person's home, especially a large and impressive one
The youth hostel has been adapted from a private residence

Resident

A member of an intelligence-gathering or nonuniformed law enforcement agency who resides and oversees operations in a certain locale
The FBI resident in St. Louis.

Residence

The place in which one lives; a dwelling.

Resident

One who lives in a dormitory.

Residence

The act or a period of residing in a place.

Resident

A physician receiving specialized clinical training in a hospital, usually after completing an internship.

Residence

A medical residency.

Resident

A nonmigratory bird or other animal.

Residence

The official home or location of a corporation.

Resident

Dwelling in a particular place; residing
Resident aliens.

Residence

The place where one lives (resides); one's home.

Resident

Living somewhere in connection with duty or work.

Residence

A building or portion thereof used as a home, such as a house#Noun or an apartment#Noun therein.

Resident

Filling a particular role in a group or organization
The museum's official resident poet.
The office's resident gossipmonger.

Residence

The place where a corporation is established.

Resident

Inherently present
Resident anxieties.

Residence

The state of living in a particular place or environment.

Resident

Nonmigratory
Resident fauna.

Residence

Accommodation for students at a university or college.

Resident

A person, animal or plant living at a certain location or in a certain area.

Residence

The place where anything rests permanently.

Resident

A bird which does not migrate during the course of the year.

Residence

Subsidence, as of a sediment

Resident

A physician receiving specialized medical training.
She's a resident in neurosurgery at Mass General.

Residence

That which falls to the bottom of liquors; sediment; also, refuse; residuum.

Resident

A diplomatic representative who resides at a foreign court, usually of inferior rank to an ambassador.

Residence

(espionage) rezidentura

Resident

(legal) A legal permanent resident, someone who maintains residency.

Residence

The act or fact of residing, abiding, or dwelling in a place for some continuance of time; as, the residence of an American in France or Italy for a year.
The confessor had often made considerable residences in Normandy.

Resident

(espionage) rezident

Residence

The place where one resides; an abode; a dwelling or habitation; esp., a settled or permanent home or domicile.
Johnson took up his residence in London.

Resident

Dwelling, or having an abode, in a place for a continued length of time; residing on one's own estate.
Resident in the city or in the country

Residence

The residing of an incumbent on his benefice; - opposed to nonresidence.

Resident

Based in a particular place; on hand; local.
He is our resident computer expert.

Residence

The place where anything rests permanently.
But when a king sets himself to bandy against the highest court and residence of all his regal power, he then, . . . fights against his own majesty and kingship.

Resident

(obsolete) Fixed; stable; certain.

Residence

Subsidence, as of a sediment.

Resident

Currently loaded into RAM; contrasted with virtual memory.

Residence

That which falls to the bottom of liquors; sediment; also, refuse; residuum.

Resident

Dwelling, or having an abode, in a place for a continued length of time; residing on one's own estate; - opposed to nonresident; as, resident in the city or in the country.

Residence

Any address at which you dwell more than temporarily;
A person can have several residences

Resident

Fixed; stable; certain.
One there still resident as day and night.

Residence

The official house or establishment of an important person (as a sovereign or president);
He refused to live in the governor's residence

Resident

One who resides or dwells in a place for some time.

Residence

The act of dwelling in a place

Resident

A diplomatic representative who resides at a foreign court; - a term usualy applied to ministers of a rank inferior to that of ambassadors. See the Note under Minister, 4.

Residence

A large and imposing house

Resident

Someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there

Resident

A physician (especially an intern) who lives in a hospital and cares for hospitalized patients under the supervision of the medical staff of the hospital;
The resident was receiving special clinical training at the hospital

Resident

Living in a particular place;
Resident aliens

Resident

Used of animals that do not migrate

Resident

One who lives somewhere on a long-term basis
He became a permanent resident last year.

Common Curiosities

What is a residence?

A residence is a place where someone lives, like a house or apartment.

Who is considered a resident?

A resident is a person who lives in a particular location.

Can the term 'residence' refer to temporary living situations?

Yes, it can refer to both temporary and permanent living situations.

Does 'resident' imply legal status?

Often, it does imply legal status or certain rights within a community.

Can the same building be both a residence and a place of business?

Yes, a building can serve multiple purposes including being a residence.

How do I prove my residence?

Usually through documents like a utility bill, lease agreement, or ID.

Is a dorm room a residence?

Yes, a dorm room can be considered a residence for a student.

Is a resident always a human, or can it be an organization?

Typically, a resident refers to an individual, but in broader terms, it can refer to entities occupying a space.

Do you need to own a place for it to be called your residence?

No, ownership is not required; a residence is simply where you live.

What is the difference between a resident and a citizen?

A resident lives in a place; a citizen has legal rights and responsibilities there.

Do residents always have to pay taxes in their place of residence?

It depends on local laws, but typically, residents pay taxes where they live.

What is a permanent resident?

A permanent resident is someone who has the right to live indefinitely in a country, not necessarily a citizen.

What changes when I change my residence?

Your address, potentially your tax obligations, and your local legal rights may change.

Can a person have more than one residence?

Yes, a person can have multiple residences, like a primary home and a vacation home.

Can tourists be considered residents?

No, tourists are temporary visitors, not residents.

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Author Spotlight

Written by
Tayyaba Rehman
Tayyaba 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.

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