Resident

A resident is a person who lives in a particular place for an extended period and regularly occupies a dwelling there. Residency is distinguished from short visits or tourism by the intention to remain and by establishing a principal home. Residents may share a community with nonresidents and are often eligible for local services and programs, subject to local rules.

In law and public administration, residency can refer to different concepts. Domicile generally means a person’s permanent, principal home and the place to which they intend to return. Tax residency and voting residency use specific criteria set by each jurisdiction to determine where a person is considered a resident for taxation or electoral purposes. Some countries recognize permanent residents—foreign nationals authorized to live indefinitely—while others distinguish temporary residents who possess limited-time permissions. Rules vary by country and often by region within a country.

In the medical field, a resident is a physician who has completed medical school and is undergoing structured, supervised training in a hospital to specialize in a chosen area. Medical residency programs provide practical experience and are a standard step in medical education.

In demographic reporting and urban planning, residents are counted to measure population size, housing demand, and the need for services such as schools and transportation. Because residency definitions affect resource allocation and political representation, jurisdictions may specify criteria such as duration of stay or a principal dwelling to determine who qualifies as a resident.