A satellite city, also known as a satellite town, is a smaller municipality that is part of a larger metropolitan area and serves as a regional population and employment center. It is distinct from suburbs, subdivisions, and bedroom communities because it has its own center, employment base, and local government. Satellite cities are often located near a large city that is the center of a metropolitan area, and they can be considered miniature metro areas on the fringe of larger ones.
Some key characteristics of satellite cities include:
- Sufficient employment bases: Satellite cities have enough job opportunities to support their residential populations, making them more than just residential areas.
- Self-sufficiency: While they are part of a larger metropolitan area, satellite cities are almost self-sufficient in terms of amenities and facilities, offering all the necessary services to be considered a separate city.
- True historic downtown: Unlike edge cities, which are suburbs with large employment bases and cultural offerings, satellite cities have a distinct, independent municipal government and a historic downtown area.
- Rural land belt: Satellite cities are surrounded by a belt of rural land between themselves and the central city, further distinguishing them from suburbs.
Some examples of satellite cities include Brentwood, Crawley, and Chelmsford in relation to London; New Haven and Bridgeport in relation to New York City; Ipswich in relation to Brisbane, Australia; and Kitchener and Guelph in relation to Toronto, Canada.
