If you’ve ever added or edited residential places on Google Maps, you also would have probably faced the same challenge I did , figuring out which building category to select as it is confusing.
These listings show how often residential places get assigned incorrect categories.
On Google Maps, one of the most common types of spam I’ve noticed is places being marked under the wrong category. So let me give you a simple note on what each residential building category means.
🏢 Apartment building Use for a single residential tower or building with multiple flats.
🏘️ Apartment Complex Use for multiple apartment buildings within one gated or shared compound (Tower A, B, C etc.).
🏘️ Flat Complex Use for a group of flat-style residential buildings that share the same property or amenities.
🏗️ Housing development Use for new residential projects that are under construction or released in phases.
🏘️ Housing Complex Use for large residential clusters that include multiple buildings, villas, or mixed housing types inside a planned boundary.
👥 Housing society Use for cooperative or community-managed residential areas run by residents.
🔒 Gated Community Use for secured residential areas with controlled entry, multiple houses, shared amenities, and clearly defined boundaries.
On a special note, you can’t add a residencial House or Home on Google Maps as it violates google Maps policies.
This is a really useful breakdown, @SarathUpendran thank you for explaining how to choose building categories on Google Maps!
I especially appreciate how you connected it to Google’s “place types,” which helps clarify why some buildings fall under housing, lodging, or business.
Also, using architectural clues and context (like how buildings are used) is such a smart way to improve accuracy.
The first problem is that private homes and buildings are not allowed on Google Maps unless they have a public-facing office with signed opening hours. A janitor’s office or a guard’s office tending to people living there is not sufficient. It needs to be a business.
So very few of such places are actually eligible to be on Google Maps.
@MortenCopenhagen , you are right, Mostly such houses or homes are used for homestays or hourly-stays, isn’t it better to categorise them under bed & breakfast or lodge
Thank you for your beautiful analysis of the building categories on Google maps. We hope your analysis will be useful for those of us who add places to Google Maps.
Wow, @SarathUpendran, thank you so much for this detailed and much-needed post! Your breakdown of these categories is incredibly helpful.
Could I suggest adding the category “Gated Community” to your list? Since it’s a frequently used category on Maps, including it would make this guide even more comprehensive.
Thanks for sharing this useful information @SarathUpendran Though many of these categories are rarely seen as private residences aren’t allowed on Maps unless they have a specific time bound office hours where they entertain visitors. Great work on curating this list
Fabulous post and very educative, @SarathUpendran
Thanks for all the illustrations, explanations, and clarity about the categories.
Even experienced local guides can miss these easily but now I know more about it
Thanks @palmad1 for reminding me about one of the categories I left out… (In India most of the residential building/ flats/ complex, can be considered as gated communities as they are always an enclosed community with there own rules, regulations and restrictions to follow, there own elected representatives and securities)
