What is the difference between Ghetto and Slum?

Ghetto and slum are referred to where poor people live or an urban area. The main difference between a slum and a ghetto is that a slum is a poor neighborhood, it is usually overcrowded, with closely packed bad housing unit with deteriorated or incomplete infrastructure.

A ghetto, on the other hand, is a poor neighborhood that consists of a specific race or religion. The word ghetto comes from the Jewish area in Venice (Venetian Ghetto in Cannaregio).

Some ghetto areas are developed due to political, social, or economic pressure. Ghetto and slum are usually prone to violence and drug abuse or other ill-mannered things. Slum can be used to refer to someone of a low class or something that is not befitting. For example, He looks slummed, hadn’t had his birth in weeks.

Ghettos and slums are two terms that are often interchanged with one another. Though both words can be used to describe a region that has lesser income than others, there are differences between them. Ghettos are used to describe places where minorities often live. While they are not always poor areas, the outlook of the area is one that looks poor and not taken care of.

Slums are often filled with poor people, as well as living conditions that are poor. The living area is not the best, as those that live in slums are often overcrowded. The word ghetto is often used to characterize the people, while slums is referring to the housing.

Some people usually become confused with the difference between ghetto and slum. A slum is an area that is considered to be run down. It may not be the best place in the world to live because the amenities that are available aren’t the best at all.

The slum areas are usually filled with many people who are living in small and tight places. The ghetto is not actually a place. This is a term that is used to describe the type of people who are living in an area that may not exactly be the best place to live too. Some people say that there are some areas in the world that can be considered as slum ghetto.