A zone is a setting for a tile of land. It determines how that tile will be used. Zoning is the key to how well you grow and develop your city.
A zoned tile has one of three levels of density associated with it: low, medium and high. Density determines how many sims can live or work in a zone.
There are also three types of zone: Residential, where sims live; Commercial, where sims shop (and a few work); and Industrial, where sims work.
What kind of buildings will be built in a zone depends on the size of your city, and the wealth and education of yours sims. This table shows what you can expect from each type and density of zone.
| Density | Cost | Residential | Commercial | Industrial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | §10 | Single-family homes and tiny flats; mansions appear on multiple tiles as wealth increases. | Gas stations, greasy spoons, cheap motels, mom-and-pop stores; then small boutiques and salons. | Agriculture: farms, orchards and ranches. |
| Medium | §20 | Homes, small apartment blocks and condos. | Small office buildings and malls. | Mid-sized factories, warehouses, plants; later, high-tech industry. |
| High | §30 | Homes, apartment blocks, tenements and luxury towers. | Supermalls, large office buildings, and skyscrapers. | Hugh factories, steel smelters; later, high-tech complexes. |
Agricultural zones have a minimum size of 4 × 4 tiles (§160 to start).
Dezoning (turning a zone to a bare tile) has an initial cost of §1 for a vacant tile to eye-popping amounts for wealthy, high-density areas.