Have you ever wondered about the districts & regions in Singapore – what the terms OCR, RCR and CCR mean?
Different parts of Singapore are classified into different regions and districts, designated by the URA. There are 3 regions in Singapore – ‘OCR’, ‘RCR’ and ‘CCR’. Within these regions, there are a total of 28 districts in Singapore.
Let’s talk about regions first. As many of us know, Singapore is divided into 5 regions – Central, North, Northeast, East and West. However, did you know that Singapore is classified into CCR, OCR, RCR as well?
Core Central Region (CCR)
As its name suggests, the CCR consists of the prime areas of Singapore. This includes the popular districts 9, 10 and 11, as well as the Downtown Core, which includes Sentosa, amongst others. These districts form the CCR, mainly due to its proximity to the Central Business District (CBD).
The following list of districts and planning areas can be found in the CCR.
| Districts | Planning Areas |
| 9 | River Valley, Orchard, Somerset |
| 10 | Tanglin, Bukit Timah, Holland |
| 11 | Newton, Novena, Dunearn, Watten |
| 1* | Boat Quay, Raffles Place, Marina Downtown, Suntec City |
| 2* | Raffles Place, Shenton Way, Tanjong Pagar |
| 4* | Sentosa |
| 6* | City Hall, North Bridge Road |
| 7* | Bugis |
Residential housing in the CCR often yields higher prices as compared to the RCR or OCR due to its prestige and convenience. A large majority of luxury housing can be found in this region. Going forward, we can expect prices to continue rising as they always have.
Rest of Central Region (RCR)
In line with its name, the RCR refers to central areas outside the CCR.
| Districts | Planning Areas |
| 1* | Marina South |
| 2* | Chinatown |
| 3 | Queenstown, Alexandra, Tiong Bahru |
| 4* | Harbourfront, Keppel, Telok Blangah |
| 5* | Buona Vista, Dover, Pasir Panjang |
| 6* | Fort Canning |
| 7* | Rochor |
| 8 | Little India, Farrer Park |
| 12 | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Bendemeer, Boon Keng, Whampoa, Kampong Bugis |
| 13* | Potong Pasir, Upper Aljuned, MacPherson |
| 14* | Geylang, Paya Lebar Central, Eunos, Aljunied, Ubi |
| 15* | Marine Parade, Katong, Dunman, Joo Chiat, Tanjong Rhu, Joo Chiat |
| 20* | Bishan, Thomson |
As we see here, the RCR comprises a majority of areas in Singapore. Prices recorded in these areas are generally lower as compared to the CCR.
Outside Central Region (OCR)
The OCR encompasses everything outside the CCR and RCR. This is where you can find the most affordable housing options in Singapore. A large majority of executive condominiums (ECs) are located here.
However, this does not mean that the housing you get here is inferior! Given Singapore’s great connectivity, everything is near you, and a short MRT or bus ride will bring you straight to the central region. So, if you are fine with the extra distance, staying in the OCR is a good idea!
| District | Planning Area |
| 5* | Clementi, West Coast |
| 14* | Kembangan, Kaki Bukit |
| 15* | Siglap, Frankel, Telok Kurau |
| 16 | Bedok, Bayshore, Tanah Merah, Upper Changi, Upper East Coast |
| 17 | Loyang, Changi |
| 18 | Tampines, Pasir Ris |
| 19 | Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang, Kovan, Serangoon, Lor Ah Soo |
| 20* | Ang Mo Kio |
| 22 | Jurong East, Jurong West, Boon Lay |
| 23 | Hillview, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang |
| 25 | Woodlands, Admiralty |
| 26 | Lentor, Springleaf, Mandai |
| 27 | Yishun, Sembawang |
| 28 | Seletar, Seletar Hill, Sengkang West |
The government’s plan to develop additional CBDs, such as Woodlands Regional Centre and Jurong’s second CBD, can also be a great benefit for those living in the OCR. This development is expected to enhance the potential of the OCR in the near future.
Let’s move on to districts.
There are a total of 28 districts in Singapore, making up a total of 81 sectors. The easiest way to determine your district is by looking at the first 2 digits of your home’s 6-digit postal code.
Here is the list of postal districts by URA.
| District | Postal Sector | General Location |
| 01 | 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06 | Raffles Place, Cecil, People’s Park |
| 02 | 07, 08 | Anson, Tanjong Pagar |
| 03 | 14,15,16 | Queenstown, Tiong Bahru |
| 04 | 09, 10 | Telok Blangah, Harbourfront |
| 05 | 11, 12, 13 | Pasir Panjang, Clementi New Town, Hong Leong Garden |
| 06 | 17 | High Street, Beach Road* |
| 07 | 18, 19 | Middle Road, Golden Mile |
| 08 | 20, 21 | Little India |
| 09 | 22, 23 | Orchard, River Valley, Cairnhill |
| 10 | 24, 25, 26, 27 | Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin |
| 11 | 28, 29, 30 | Watten Estate, Novena, Thomson |
| 12 | 31, 32, 33 | Balestier, Serangoon, Toa Payoh |
| 13 | 34, 35, 36, 37 | Macpherson, Bradell |
| 14 | 38, 39, 40, 41 | Geylang, Eunos |
| 15 | 42, 43, 44, 45 | Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road |
| 16 | 46, 47, 48 | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Kew Drive |
| 17 | 49, 50, 81 | Loyang, Changi |
| 18 | 51, 52 | Tampines, Pasir Ris |
| 19 | 53, 54, 55, 82 | Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol |
| 20 | 56, 57 | Bishan, Ang Mo Kio |
| 21 | 58, 59 | Upper Bukit Timah, Clementi Park, Ulu Pandan |
| 22 | 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 | Jurong |
| 23 | 65, 66, 67, 68 | Hillview, Dairy Farm, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang |
| 24 | 69, 70, 71 | Lim Chu Kang, Tengah |
| 25 | 72, 73 | Kranji, Woodgrove |
| 26 | 77, 78 | Upper Thomson, Springleaf |
| 27 | 75, 76 | Yishun, Sembawang |
| 28 | 79, 80 | Seletar |
Now that we know more about both districts and regions, here’s a summary for your easy reference.
The CCR consists of districts 1, 2, 6, 9, 10 and 11.
The RCR includes districts 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20.
The OCR comprises districts 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.
Of course, prices will vary both between and within the region, with the CCR being the most prestigious.
However, this does not mean that the OCR is any less desirable than the CCR or RCR. It all depends on what you are looking for, and who knows, the OCR may outperform the other regions in the coming years.
