Resident Score Part 1: How Upland’s Newest Feature Measures Neighborhood Strength

​Editor’s Note:
​Neighborhood examples have been updated to clarify the difference between total Living Units and actual Residents, along with Occupancy %
​
A major milestone has quietly taken place in Upland: the Resident Score algorithm has been activated behind the scenes and is now tracking, scoring, and simulating resident movement across Upland! While it’s not visible in the app just yet, we’re closely monitoring how neighborhoods are performing, and fine-tuning the system in preparation for a future launch.

As we gear up for the debut of the Resident Score feature, we’re pulling back the curtain on how the scoring system works, and why neighborhoods with a well-rounded mix of service structures are already positioning themselves for success.

This is Part 1 of our Resident Score breakdown. In this post, we’re digging into how the scoring algorithm functions, what kind of data we’re watching, and what successful neighborhoods look like. Part 2 will drop soon and include a look at top cities, top landlords, and influence scores based on the current data.

Upland’s Resident Count Today: A Major Milestone

A huge milestone has been quietly reached behind the scenes: as of now, 203,691 residents are living across Upland! This number is based on a percentage of the total number of living units built so far.

Resident count will always represent a percentage of available living units, which means not every unit will be occupied. This ensures that neighborhoods and players will need to actively compete to attract and retain residents.

As more living units are constructed across Upland, the total number of possible residents can increase, but so will the competition. To stand out, it’s not enough to just build homes. Service structures will be key to making your neighborhood a place where residents want to stay.

Some parts of the Resident Score algorithm are absolute, like the total number of properties in a neighborhood. Others are comparative, measuring how your neighborhood stacks up to others.

Both types help determine where residents (Uppies) choose to live, and both can be influenced by your strategic decisions.

Living & Service Units

The Resident Score algorithm takes many factors into account, but some have a stronger influence on where residents choose to live. These parameters measure both the quantity and quality of development in your neighborhood, and how well it supports a growing resident population.

Before we dive into the list, it’s important to understand two key terms:

Living Units

Each residential structure in Upland has a Living Unit value. This represents the number of potential residents it can house. The more living units, the more residents you could attract, but only if your neighborhood can support them.

Service Units

Every service structure, whether it’s essential, entertainment, employment, or public services, contributes Service Units to your neighborhood. These units reflect how much support that structure brings to the resident experience.

Together, Living Units and Service Units form the core of what makes a neighborhood livable and competitive. Build homes, but back them with the services that give residents a reason to stay.

Resident Score Parameters

The Resident Score algorithm considers the following parameters when calculating a neighborhood’s Resident Score:

• Active Home Addresses — Number of home addresses of users who have been recently active
• Essential Service Units Per Living Unit — Number of essential units built per living unit
• Transportation Service Units Per Living Unit — Number of Transportation units placed per living unit (Vehicles on inventory lots will not count)
• Employment Service Units Per Living Unit — Number of Employment units per living unit
• Entertainment Service Units Per Living Unit — Number of Entertainment units built per living unit
• Public Service Units Per Living Unit — Number of Public service Units built per living unit
• Essential Service Structure Variety — Variety of essential service structures
• Entertainment Service Structure Variety — Variety of entertainment service structures
• Public Service Structure Variety — Variety of public service structures
• Home Addresses — Number of home addresses set by both active and inactive players.
• Greenery Per Living Unit — Amount of greenery in the area relative to the number of living units (When the life feature drops in Upland)
• Landmarks Per Living Unit — Number of construction-completed landmarks relative to the number of living units
• Ornaments Per Living Unit — Number of ornament units applied to structures per living unit. Active season ornaments get a bonus.
• Decorations Per Living Units — Measures the total Decoration Units from decorative map assets placed on properties per living unity (excluding inventory lots and self-manufactured items placed on one’s own properties).
• Residential Space Per Living Unit — Total area of residential buildings relative to the number of living units
• Density Score — Measures how densely a neighborhood is built on minted spaces

Activity is key. The algorithm rewards active players and operating Metaventures. A neighborhood filled with dormant players won’t score as well as one full of activity.

This list will continue to evolve as we test and refine the system ahead of launch. Keep in mind: Not all parameters carry the same weight. Building a balanced mix of service structures, especially those that directly impact daily life, will go a long way in raising your Resident Score.

What Does “Per Living Unit” Mean?

You’ll notice several parameters in the Resident Score system are measured “per living unit.” But what does that actually mean?

In simple terms, “per living unit” is a way to measure how well a neighborhood supports its residentsrelative to its size (measured in living units), not just how much it has built.

Here’s how it works: Each structure provides a certain number of Service Units, such as entertainment units, essential units, or public service units. The algorithm adds up these service units separately, then divides that total by the number of living units in the neighborhood. This gives a clear picture of how well-served each potential resident is.

Hypothetical Example:

• A large neighborhood with structures providing 10,000 entertainment units and 10,000 living units = 1 entertainment unit per living unit
• A small neighborhood with 200 entertainment units and 100 living units = 2 entertainment units per living unit

Even though the large neighborhood has a much higher total entertainment capacity, the smaller neighborhood scores higher because each resident has access to more services relative to the population size.

This approach encourages balanced, intentional development. To increase your Resident Score, it’s not enough to just add living units, you’ll also need to build service structures that match the needs of your growing population.

3 Neighborhoods in Focus

Let’s take a closer look at how three real neighborhoods in Upland would perform if the Resident Score feature launched today. These examples highlight the impact of different development strategies, and how service structures, housing, and activity levels combine to influence success.

Neighborhood 1

8,397 Living Units | 1,608 Residents | 19.1% Occupancy

Plenty of residents, but struggling with occupancy

At first glance, this neighborhood looks ready for growth, it has built a solid base of residential structures. But occupancy is lagging. The likely reason? A lack of supporting service structures.

Without essentials, entertainment, or public services, there’s little reason for residents to move in, or stay. This is a case where supply exists, but the neighborhood hasn’t created a compelling reason to live there.

Key Next Move:
Focus on building a more and a wider variety of service structures: essential, entertainment, and public services. Residents are looking for livability, not just space. The more complete your service offering, the more attractive your neighborhood becomes.

Neighborhood 2

335 Living Units | 331 Residents |  98.8% Occupancy

Low amount of residents, with high occupancy

This neighborhood is clearly doing something right. It’s scoring well on resident attraction and retention, but the low number of living units is holding it back. There’s strong demand, but not enough homes to meet it.

With the right infrastructure already in place, this neighborhood could quickly scale its Resident Score by adding more housing to meet the demand it’s already earned.

Key Next Move:
Start building more residential structures to increase your total living units. You already have what residents are looking for, now it’s about scaling up so more of them can move in.

Neighborhood 3

3,543 Living Units | 3,069 Residents | 86.6% occupancy

Plenty of residents with high occupancy

This neighborhood checks all the boxes. It offers a high number of living units, and those units are occupied. More importantly, it has the service structures to support daily life and keep residents engaged.

From essential services to entertainment, this area has created a well-rounded environment that encourages residents to settle in and stay long-term.

Key Next Move:
Keep doing what you’re doing, but don’t get too comfortable. As other neighborhoods improve, it’s important to maintain your edge by continuing to add variety in your service structures and keep pace with residential growth. Resident loyalty can shift quickly if better options appear elsewhere.

These examples offer just a glimpse into how neighborhoods are already performing under the Resident Score system.

Why Service Structures Matter

With the algorithm now running in the background, Upland has entered a new phase of dynamic, data-driven neighborhood evolution! We’re watching Resident Scores take shape in real time, adjusting the system, and preparing for the moment when residents officially begin moving in.

We’re excited to finally share how this feature is coming together, and this is just the beginning. In Part 2 of our Resident Score series, we’ll reveal the current leaders: top cities, top neighborhoods, top landlords, and top influence scores if the system launched today.

Until then, keep building smart, focus on those service structures, and make your neighborhood the kind of place Uppies will want to call home.

Residents are coming. Make sure they’re coming to you!