When to build city services in SimCity 4000

Contributor/author(s): Ryoga Hibiki

Many people make the same mistake when building a new city: They provide every single service imaginable, and end up with nothing but debt.

This is a quick reference guide as to when you need city services.

Fledgling (0-2000 sims)

• Power
• Roads. Build a small firestation in your industrial zone, and expand everywhere with low density zoning. Then sit back and watch the green roll in.

Tiny (3 000 - 5 000Sims)

• small elementary school
• More roads

Small (5 000 - 10 000 Sims)

• Water
• Landfill
• More roads

Moderate (10 000 - 15 000)

• Medium density residential. Upgrade every zone near your main roads.
• you may need another small elementary school at this point.
• First Avenues

Growing (15 000 - 25 000)

• bus stations
• More Avenues
• Keep expanding your medium density zones.
• You'll probably need to upgrade your small elementary school to a large one.
• Get a small high school, or two, depending on what you need.

After this point, everyone's city will be drastically different. Just take it easy, and always run the game on the highest speed. You'll often pass many years just building roads, while making money. As you get much bigger, you'll need advanced education,

Build these things, depending on the wealth of your sims. (and yourself) $ - power - elementary schools and landfills needed to upgrade $$- water, High schools, full fire coverage - Health, some parks, and smarter sims needed to upgrade $$$-Police, rewards, advanced education, and some ordinances.

Build these things, based on zoning density. Low

• Some roads
• power
• Water needed to upgrade
• Garbage needed to upgrade

Medium

• more roads, some buses, 1-3 avenues
• Highways, if you want them
• Supersize elementary schools
• Smooth traffic needed to upgrade (lots of time here!)

High

• 1-Way streets/Avenues for every road.
• Buses everywhere.
• Highways
• Subways if you want them, but avenues/buses work really well.
• Supersize every public building.
• Police, and jails
• Advanced education
• Everything, smooth traffic, and many years needed to get the best buildings.

  As you can see, high density gets very expensive to take care of.

  See also
  A Basic Beginners Guide SC4
  Early tips
  SC4: Getting Started.