Sub-neighborhood

A sub-neighborhood is a neighborhood that can't exist solely on its own. Sub-neighborhoods were first introduced in The Sims: Hot Date, and each subsequent expansion pack for The Sims added a new one which fit that pack's theme. They were designed as places for community lots and townies to be, and as places Sims could travel to and from.

Sub-neighborhoods exist in a sort of "time warp". No matter how long Sims spend in one, they will return home no more than a few hours after they left. It's not only possible, but common, for them to return when they left.

The Sims
Sub-neighborhoods in The Sims are often referred to as community areas. Except for Downtown, Old Town, and Magic Town, they contain 9 community lots laid out in a 3x3 grid. (Downtown has 10 lots laid out in a 3-4-3 grid. Magic Town has 9 lots, but three are residential.)

The Sims community areas, by expansion pack, are:

The Sims 2
The Sims 2 sub-neighborhoods, by expansion pack, are:

University Nightlife Open for Business Pets Seasons Bon Voyage FreeTime Apartment Life
 * Académie Le Tour
 * La Fiesta Tech
 * Sim State University
 * Downtown
 * Bluewater Village
 * Pets (secret)
 * Weather (secret)
 * Takemizu Village
 * Three Lakes
 * Twikkii Island
 * Exotic Destinations (secret)
 * Hobbies (secret)
 * Magic (secret)

The Sims 3
The Sims 3 sub-neighborhoods, by expansion pack, are:

World Adventures
 * Al Simhara, Egypt
 * Champs Les Sims, France
 * Shang Simla, China

University Life
 * Sims University

Into the Future
 * Arcadia Landing

Sous-quartier Sub-barrio Sub-buurt