outskirts
Town's fringe areas
Outskirts refers to the outer edges or peripheral areas of a town, city, or other defined region—the parts farthest from the center.
The word appears almost exclusively in the plural and typically follows "on the": They bought a house on the outskirts of town.
Outskirts suggests a transitional zone where urban development thins out, often carrying connotations of being removed from the action or main activity of a place.
Boundary or outer region
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- fringeOutermost edge or margin
- borderOuter edge or limit
- marginEdge of a page
perimeter · limit · verge · brink · threshold · confines · extremity · circumference
Outlying residential district
- townshipCounty's smaller division
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
- hamletTiny rural settlement
enclave · borough · ward · precinct · locality · parish · exurb · satellite town
Separated from others
- secludedSet apart, private
- farawayAt great distance
- inaccessibleCannot be reached
- outlyingDistant from center
distant · removed · sequestered · far-flung · off the beaten path · hinterland · backcountry · boondocks
Extend in disorderly fashion
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- housing estatePlanned residential neighborhood
- industrial parkZoned area for factories
- warehouse districtCommercial storage area
strip mall · retail park · business park · greenfield · brownfield · new construction · tract housing · urban fringe
Insufficiently provided for
- neglectedNot given proper attention
- impoverishedExtremely lacking in money
- disadvantagedLacking social or economic resources
- peripheralExternal computer add-on
overlooked · underprivileged · marginalized · disenfranchised · excluded · forgotten · abandoned · rundown
periphery
Boundary or outer region
margin · perimeter · limit · verge · brink · threshold · confines · extremity · circumference · demarcation
suburb
Outlying residential district
- townshipCounty's smaller division
- neighborhoodResidential area nearby
- settlementResolved dispute or colony
hamlet · enclave · borough · ward · precinct · locality · parish · exurb · satellite town · dormitory town
isolated
Separated from others
- secludedSet apart, private
- farawayAt great distance
- inaccessibleCannot be reached
outlying · distant · removed · sequestered · far-flung · off the beaten path · hinterland · backcountry · boondocks · sticks
sprawl
Extend in disorderly fashion
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- housing estatePlanned residential neighborhood
- industrial parkZoned area for factories
warehouse district · strip mall · retail park · business park · greenfield · brownfield · new construction · tract housing · urban fringe
underserved
Insufficiently provided for
- neglectedNot given proper attention
- impoverishedExtremely lacking in money
- disadvantagedLacking social or economic resources
peripheral · overlooked · underprivileged · marginalized · disenfranchised · excluded · forgotten · abandoned · rundown · blighted
outskirtsdowntown
Central business district
centre · center · city center · heart · core
outskirtsmetropolis
Large important city
downtown · urban center · city proper · built-up area · commercial center