Highlights
- Each neighborhood in The Sims 4 is unique and inspired by real-world locations, giving players a wide range of options to find the perfect fit for their gameplay style.
- Some neighborhoods, like Batuu and Magnolia Promenade, have limitations and may not be ideal for building or living, while others like Moonwood Mill and Tartosa offer immersive experiences for specific gameplay preferences.
- Newcrest provides a blank canvas for players to build their own neighborhood, while Oasis Springs and Willow Creek offer diverse environments and familiar faces from the base game.
Living in the perfect neighborhood is a must in The Sims 4. Players wonder which world would fit their build style the most or which world comes with the coolest additions. The many expansion and game packs have added additions such as apartments, story-driven goals, and city sections. Each world also takes on a unique look.
Each world takes inspiration from a real-world area. Depending on how players want to play, they are sure to find a neighborhood that fits their needs in The Sims 4. There is even one the player can create themselves.
Updated on July 28, 2023, by Elara Leclair:With The Sims 4 being free to play, many more players now have the chance to explore the vast amount of locations and gameplay it has to offer. However, without a doubt, with the addition of new expansion and game packs, in particular, the experience is significantly enhanced, allowing players to enjoy new activities and explore new worlds. Now with the latest expansion pack, namely Horse Ranch, recently released, the number of available worlds has increased to a whopping 24, allowing any Sim to find a place that they can call home. The range of worlds goes from lush and green outskirts to bustling city life, with each world offering different and unique activities.
24 Batuu
-
DLC:
Journey To Batuu -
Number Of Lots:
3
Included in one of the most unpopular and controversial DLCs ever released for the game, Batuu easily takes the last and worst spot on this list. In fact, calling Batuu an actual world would be a lie and an overstatement because players can’t actually live or build here.
With only three areas to visit and the rest being rabbit holes, Batuu comes across as more of an advertisement for a franchise baked into the game than a cool, original world for Sims to live in. It’s a shame, given how nice the building objects in Batuu are and what could have been done with them.
23 Magnolia Promenade
-
DLC:
Get To Work -
Number Of Lots:
4
Magnolia Promenade was added to the Get To Work expansion pack. The area is small, only allowing four lots to be added. Magnolia Promenade is meant for businesses, so a home or apartment would look out of place in this area.
Three lots are already occupied, meaning players only have one lot to create their own business. While not appearing as a customizable lot, the police station and hospital are also located in this neighborhood. It’s a nice world to plop down any restaurants, spas, and other community lots as well, but its size is a bit of a joke.
22 Granite Falls
-
DLC:
Outdoor Retreat -
Number Of Lots:
6
Granite Falls is a vacation neighborhood, meaning it will see limited usage only. Sims are able to vacation in this neighborhood for 7 days but must leave when that time is up. Necessary camping materials can be bought at the ranger stations, meaning Sims do not have to be prepared.
There are also ‘Bears’ – Sims in bear costumes – roaming around the campgrounds. These bears will cause Sims to become tense, taking the place of real bears. There is also a secret Hermit’s House, allowing players to find rare collectibles. Since it was in an early DLC, the area feels lackluster and will most likely see a DLC refresh sometime in the future. For a vacation world, it also has far too many lots.
21 Forgotten Hollow
-
DLC:
Vampires -
Number Of Lots:
5
Forgotten Hollow is a neighborhood perfect for any vampire. Only the Straud and Vatore families live here at first, meaning players can move in three more vampire families. Uniquely, the neighborhood will also be darker for longer.
The sun rises later than normal and sets quicker in this neighborhood. This neighborhood is also home to two unique plants, the Plasmafruit and the Sixam Mosquito Trap. Living here, vampire Sims will not have to worry about burning up. However, that also means the world is a bit more niche compared to other ones, and regular Sims won’t really fit in here.
20 Moonwood Mill
-
DLC:
Werewolves -
Number Of Lots:
5
Moonwood Mill is a small world in The Sims 4, consisting of only five lots. However, the world building is very detailed and coherent, designed by a well-known Sims Youtuber James Turner. Many lots in this world is a great option for challenges like rags to riches, homeless or an apocalypse challenge.
The world is primarily designed for Werewolves, with hidden areas, unique features, and secrets to explore. Players can customize items in specific areas and learn about the lore of Moonwood Mill through the Moonwood Mill Relics collection. However, the world is not ideal for human or other occult Sims as there are not many activities for them. Overall, Moonwood Mill is a hit or miss world depending on player preferences. While small, it offers an immersive experience for Werewolf players and can be a good option for certain challenges.
19 Tartosa
-
DLC:
My Wedding Stories -
Number Of Lots:
9
Tartosa is the perfect destination for weddings and honeymoons, with its balmy Mediterranean climate and atmosphere inspired by the best of Italy and Spain. The town features a wedding flower vendor, a delightful cake shop, and a dress store where you can find the perfect look for Sims’ special day.
This small world has a lot to offer with its beautiful location, its great beaches, and additional dynamic elements. Despite this, its focus on destination weddings makes it less than ideal for those looking for a place to call a permanent home. Luckily, it already comes with some rental lots that are perfect for any special occasion or holiday getaway.
18 StrangerVille
-
DLC:
StrangerVille -
Number Of Lots:
12
StrangerVille isn’t a bad world, but it’s not a great world, either. It takes inspiration from the original The Sims 2‘s Strangetown, which was iconic and popular among fans. It had that quirky feel to it that many fans feel like the franchise has lost over the years, and sadly, StrangerVille doesn’t manage to replicate that.
That being said, there are some really unique builds and sights in this area, including a trailer park and a crashed plane in which Sims can live. It’s nice to have some form of variety, at least, even if the pre-made builds overall are not the best quality.
17 Del Sol Valley
-
DLC:
Get Famous -
Number Of Lots:
11
Another major disappointment in terms of build content was Get Famous‘ Del Sol Valley. The world has a beautiful backdrop inspired by real-life Los Angeles, with the suburbs, the city, and the rich neighborhood all combined into one.
However, the lack of lots in such a packed city just feels incredibly off. Many Simmers expected there to be more places to build in, especially on the right side of the world, where free lots may have initially been before they were cut from the game. Furthermore, as the lighting of this world tends to be quite harsh, it may not be the most fun world to play in.
16 Newcrest
-
DLC:
None, base game -
Number Of Lots:
15
Players who like to build their own homes will love this neighborhood. Newcrest was added in an update to the main game, adding a neighborhood with no buildings. There are a total of 15 empty lots, meaning players can build up a neighborhood of their own.
While looking similar to Willow Creek, players can make it whatever style they want. The lots are big as well, meaning mansions can be built here. The variety is nice, and the different areas of the world are beautiful. It can feel a bit overwhelming to start from scratch, however. Hopefully, The Sims team will release more empty worlds in the future for creative Simmers to fill with their own builds.
15 Chestnut Ridge
-
DLC:
Horse Ranch -
Number Of Lots:
13
Chestnut Ridge is a Western-inspired world that has been introduced with the recent expansion, Horse Ranch, bringing a perfect place for equestrian lovers to take care of their horses and other ranch animals. There are many beautiful paths Sims can ride their horses, as well as interact with the local community. The world is filled with ranches and many horse-related items to interact with.
On the other hand, if players have little interest in this architectural style, or particularly do not care about horses or ranch care, this world doesn’t have much to offer, especially considering that the scenery, while quite unique, might be considered rather barren for many.
14 Oasis Springs
-
DLC:
None, base game -
Number Of Lots:
21
Oasis Springs is one of the neighborhoods that came with The Sims 4. It takes on the appearance of a town in the southwestern United States. A few familiar faces can be seen in Oasis Springs as well, such as the Caliente and Landgraab families. There are also a few new faces as well.
The neighborhood has a small downtown area, coming with a bar, gym, and museum. Being from the base game, it should be expected nothing too impressive comes with Oasis Springs. That being said, it’s one of the largest neighborhoods, with green, tropical areas and more arid desert-like zones for varied buildings.
13 Willow Creek
-
DLC:
None, base game -
Number Of Lots:
21
Willow Creek is the other neighborhood that launched with the base game. It is based on New Orleans, coming with a few shotgun houses and a paddleboat that goes by. There is another downtown area away from the residential area, offering a park, bars, and museums.
The Goth family also makes a comeback in this neighborhood along with the many new faces. A lot of the houses in this neighborhood take inspiration from southern architecture, letting fans from New Orleans live in a neighborhood like their home. It’s also one of the biggest neighborhoods in the game, so there are plenty of lots to build on and renovate.
12 San Sequoia
-
DLC:
Growing Together -
Number Of Lots:
12
San Sequoia, the newest world in The Sims 4, is reminiscent of San Francisco in terms of its name and landscape. However, players may be disappointed with its small size, consisting of only 12 lots despite being an expansion pack. Despite this, the world is beautifully designed with contributions from Sims content creators like lilsimsie, and the pack brings a great variety of Build/Buy items, resulting in a diverse range of lot designs.
While San Sequoia does not have any unique activities, it offers a few family-friendly locations such as a recreational center and splash pads. However, these features are not exclusive to this world and can be placed in other worlds as well. The world also includes a Cinema rabbit hole and the ability to do Power Walks. Unfortunately, San Sequoia lacks any world-unique features or secrets, making it fall short compared to other worlds. Nonetheless, it is still a great world to explore and integrate into other packs for realistic family gameplay.
11 Glimmerbrook
-
DLC:
Realm Of Magic -
Number Of Lots:
6
Glimmerbrook adds a neighborhood for magical Sims. While the neighborhood itself does not show a hint of magic, it has a portal located near a waterfall. Going into the portal will bring players to the Magical Realm, a hidden lot.
In the Magic Realm, Sims are able to become Spellcasters, buy familiars and other items, and learn new spells. Sims can also buy familiars and magical brooms to travel with. While Glimmerbrook is beautiful, it’s incredibly small and has some of the most disappointing pre-made builds the game has seen to this day.
10 Evergreen Harbor
-
DLC:
Eco Lifestyle -
Number Of Lots:
13
This neighborhood is a unique one, with several different living options, from apartments to regular houses. The neighborhood adds a pollution factor to the world, meaning players need to work hard to make an area pollution-free.
This can be done through a Neighborhood Action Plan, where residents vote on changes to better the area. Any player who likes mini-objectives would enjoy this neighborhood. In terms of lot size, it’s a bit bigger than Del Sol Valley and has interesting industrial-style zones that help to make unique builds.
9 Selvadorada
-
DLC:
Jungle Adventure -
Number Of Lots:
7
Selvadorada brings Sims to a new country entirely. There is a Latin American-inspired town along with ruins for exploration. Sims can buy exploration gear from the town and head into the mountains to find relics.
In the ruins, there are skeletons that will try to keep the Sim from looting their treasure. Any player wanting to pretend they are Indiana Jones would love this area. Sadly, Selvadorada is a vacation world, which means it’ll usually see limited usage for most Simmers.
8 Henford-On-Bagley
-
DLC:
Cottage Living -
Number Of Lots:
12
Henford-on-Bagley simulates a quaint British town in the countryside, where inhabitants are focused mostly on caring for farm animals and growing crops. It has a nice Stardew Valley-like feel to it. It also reintroduces iconic characters like the Crumplebottoms into the game.
However, in terms of size, Henford-on-Bagley is a bit of a disappointment. It’s the same size as Del Sol Valley, with only 12 lots available. For a small British countryside town, this does work to a degree, but with worlds, more is always better.
7 Britechester
-
DLC:
Discover University -
Number Of Lots:
13
Britechester is the go-to university town in the game and offers two universities – either University of Britechester or Foxbury Institute. There is also a town in the middle where any Sim can live in. Unlike other games, the two universities are located in the same neighborhood. For any Sim wanting to get a higher education, this neighborhood offers it.
In terms of style, it’s akin to a central European-style university town, with both a quaint, classic side and a more modern, futuristic side. The campuses are nice areas for students to live in, but it would be nice to have more dorm lots available for variety. There’s also a secret society in this town that regularly gathers at the magical ruins nearby.
6 Copperdale
-
DLC:
High School Years -
Number Of Lots:
12
Similar to Brightchester, Copperdale is a world designed specifically for school-aged Sims. The High School Years expansion pack that comes with it makes a fantastic addition to the gameplay, allowing teen Sims to experience the full range of high school activities, from classes and cheerleading to fun activities like a Ferris Wheel and plenty of relevant stores.
It is a great benefit for players to be able to freely edit the school lots, but the size of the school and its neighborhood can be limiting for other uses of the area. Overall, it is a beautiful world in terms of sight and certainly a place where Sims of any age could happily settle, unlike Riverdale, which this world name could be a direct reference to.
5 Mt. Komorebi
-
DLC:
Snowy Escape -
Number Of Lots:
14
Originally a cut idea from The Sims 4, Mt. Komorebi was added to the Japanese-style wintery expansion pack. It is based on a Japanese village and lets Sims snowboard, climb mountains, and experience snowy fun.
There are both residential and vacation lots, meaning players could move their Sim to this neighborhood. It’s a combination that Simmers hadn’t seen prior to the expansion’s release, making Mt. Komorebi a unique place. Many of the builds here are also pretty decent, making it a beautiful neighborhood for fans of Japanese architecture.