If you have ever wondered whether to say reside in a city, reside on a street, or reside at an address, you are dealing with a small but important English preposition choice.
The verb reside is usually easy. The confusing part is deciding whether it should be followed by in, on, or at.
The good news is that all three can be correct. They are not interchangeable, though.
The correct preposition depends mainly on the type of location you are talking about and how specifically you identify that location.
Reside in is normally used for cities, countries, states, regions, and other larger areas.
Reside on is normally used with streets, roads, avenues, and similar linear locations.
Reside at is normally used for a specific address or a particular place.
Once you understand this pattern, the choice becomes much easier.
Quick Answer
Reside in is used for larger areas: She resides in London.
Reside on is commonly used for streets and roads: He resides on Main Street.
Reside at is used for a specific address or exact location: She resides at 25 King Street.
All three are grammatically correct when the preposition matches the location.
Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at: Quick Comparison
| Expression | Main Use | Example | Naturalness |
|---|---|---|---|
| reside in | Cities, countries, states, regions, areas | She resides in Chicago. | Very natural |
| reside on | Streets, roads, avenues, islands in some contexts | He resides on Oak Street. | Natural |
| reside at | Specific addresses or exact places | She resides at 25 Oak Street. | Natural, especially formal |
| reside in a house | Inside a house or dwelling | They reside in a large house. | Natural |
| reside at a residence | A particular residence | He resides at the university residence. | Formal |
| reside on an island | An island as a geographical surface/location | They reside on Malta. | Natural |
The easiest rule is:
IN = area, ON = street or surface, AT = exact point.
This is not an absolute rule for every possible place name, but it works extremely well for ordinary location expressions.
What Does Reside Mean?
Reside is a verb meaning to live or have one’s home in a particular place.
For example:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- My grandparents reside in a small village.
- The family resides on Park Avenue.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
The word reside is grammatical in all of these sentences. The preposition changes because the location changes.
Unlike the everyday verb live, reside sounds more formal.
Compare:
I live in Lahore.
with:
I reside in Lahore.
Both are correct. The first sounds ordinary and conversational. The second sounds more formal, official, administrative, or legal.
Why Do People Confuse These Prepositions?
The confusion comes from the fact that English uses several prepositions for location, and their meanings overlap.
With the verb live, people commonly say:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- live on Green Street
- live at 15 Green Street
Because reside has essentially the same basic location meaning as live, it can follow similar patterns.
However, reside is more formal, so learners sometimes assume that it requires a special preposition. It does not.
The important question is not:
“Which preposition goes with reside?”
The better question is:
“What kind of location am I describing?”
That distinction makes the grammar much clearer.
Reside in
Reside in is normally used when the location is viewed as an area or enclosed geographical space.
Common examples include:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- reside in a city
- reside in a town
- reside in a state
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- reside in a region
- reside in a village
- reside in a neighborhood
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- reside in a house
Reside in a Country
Use in when referring to a country.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides in Canada.
- The applicant currently resides in Germany.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
The country is treated as an area in which someone lives.
Reside in a City
Use in with cities.
Examples:
- She resides in Lahore.
- He resides in London.
- My brother resides in Dubai.
- The researcher resides in Boston.
This is one of the most common uses of reside in.
Reside in a State or Province
The same pattern applies to states, provinces, and similar administrative regions.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides in Ontario.
- The applicant resides in Punjab.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Reside in a Town or Village
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The artist resides in a quiet town.
- The family resides in a rural community.
Reside in a House or Apartment
In can also describe being inside a dwelling.
Examples:
- They reside in a three-bedroom house.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The family resides in a rented property.
- He resides in university housing.
Here, in emphasizes the dwelling or space in which the person lives.
When Reside in Sounds Most Natural
Use reside in when the answer to this question is “yes”:
Am I talking about an area, region, city, country, or dwelling rather than an exact point?
For example:
She resides in London.
London is a city.
They reside in France.
France is a country.
He resides in a village.
A village is a settlement or area.
She resides in an apartment.
An apartment is a dwelling.
Reside on
Reside on is most commonly used when the location is a street, road, avenue, or another linear geographical feature.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides on Park Avenue.
- They reside on Oak Road.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
This follows the same basic location pattern found with the verb live:
She lives on Main Street.
Therefore:
She resides on Main Street.
is also grammatically acceptable.
Reside on a Street
This is one of the clearest uses of on.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The manager resides on Baker Street.
- She resides on a quiet street near the city center.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
When you give the street name without the building number, on is normally the natural choice.
Compare:
He resides on Oak Street.
with:
He resides at 48 Oak Street.
The first identifies the street.
The second identifies the exact address.
That difference is extremely important.
Reside on a Road or Avenue
The same principle applies to roads and avenues.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides on Park Avenue.
- The family resides on Church Road.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
The preposition on treats the street or road as a route or linear location.
Reside on an Island
There is another useful meaning of reside on.
People can also reside on an island.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The community resides on the island of Malta.
- Several families reside on the remote island.
Here, on reflects the idea of living on the surface or landmass of the island.
This is different from saying:
She resides in London.
A city is normally conceptualized as an area, while an island is often conceptualized as a physical surface on which people live.
Reside on a Property or Premises
Depending on the context, on can also occur with certain types of land or property expressions.
For example:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- Several families reside on the property.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
These examples are more context-dependent than reside on Main Street, but they are grammatical when the location is naturally understood as land or premises.
When Reside on Sounds Most Natural
Use reside on when you are referring to:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- a road
- an avenue
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- a boulevard
- an island
- certain areas of land or premises
The most useful everyday pattern is:
reside on + street/road name
For example:
She resides on Willow Street.
Reside at
Reside at is normally used when the location is treated as a specific point or exact address.
This makes at especially common in formal documents, applications, records, legal writing, and administrative language.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides at 18 Park Avenue.
- The applicant resides at the address listed below.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Reside at a Specific Address
This is the clearest use of at.
Compare these sentences:
She resides in Lahore.
She resides on Mall Road.
She resides at 45 Mall Road.
All three can describe the same person’s home.
The difference is the level of location:
in Lahore → city
on Mall Road → street
at 45 Mall Road → exact address
This is one of the most useful patterns to remember.
Reside at a Particular Institution or Place
At can also be used when someone lives at a particular institution, facility, or named place.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- She resides at a nursing home.
- The students reside at the college.
- The workers reside at the camp.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
The exact choice can depend on the noun and context, but at works well when the place is treated as a particular location rather than a broad area.
Reside at vs Reside in an Address
A common mistake is to say:
She resides in 25 King Street.
In standard English, the more natural version is:
She resides at 25 King Street.
Why?
Because 25 King Street identifies a specific address. The address is treated as a point.
However:
She resides in King Street.
is generally not the normal way to describe a person’s location when you mean the street itself.
The usual expression is:
She resides on King Street.
So:
- in the city
- on the street
- at the exact address
is a very useful sequence.
The Grammar Behind Reside in, Reside on, and Reside at
The verb reside does not determine one fixed preposition. Instead, the type and interpretation of the location influence the preposition.
The three common patterns are:
reside in + area
reside on + street/surface
reside at + exact point
This is closely related to the broader English system of location prepositions.
Reside as a Verb
Reside is a verb.
It can appear in different tenses.
Present Simple
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides on King Street.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Past Simple
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resided on Oak Street before moving.
- The family resided at the property until 2020.
Present Perfect
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He has resided at the same address for ten years.
Future
The future form is grammatically possible, although reside is less common in casual future statements.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The family will reside at the new property.
In everyday conversation, people often use live instead.
Reside Is More Formal Than Live
One of the most important usage points is that reside and live are not equal in tone.
Live is the normal everyday verb.
Reside is more formal.
Compare:
Where do you live?
This sounds completely natural in conversation.
Where do you reside?
This is grammatical, but it sounds formal and may feel official or bureaucratic.
You may encounter reside in:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- government forms
- applications
- academic writing
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- professional correspondence
- administrative documents
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
You are less likely to hear it in casual conversation.
Reside in Professional Writing
The verb reside can be useful in professional writing when a formal tone is appropriate.
Examples:
The applicant currently resides in Islamabad.
The employee resides at the address listed in the personnel record.
The participants reside in several different regions.
However, professional writing does not always need the more formal word.
If a simple sentence is clearer, live may be better:
The applicant lives in Islamabad.
Good writing is not about choosing the most complicated word. It is about choosing the word that fits the context.
Reside in Academic Writing
Academic writing may use reside when discussing populations, participants, or communities.
Examples:
The participants reside in rural areas.
Most respondents reside in urban communities.
The study included adults who reside in the region.
Still, live is not automatically inappropriate in academic writing.
For example:
The participants live in rural communities.
may be perfectly suitable.
The choice depends on the discipline, sentence, and desired tone.
Reside in Legal and Administrative English
This is where reside becomes especially common.
Official documents often need to identify a person’s place of residence precisely.
Examples:
The applicant resides in the province of Ontario.
The defendant resides at the address stated above.
The parties reside in different jurisdictions.
The formal tone of reside fits these contexts well.
Reside in Everyday Conversation
Although reside is correct in ordinary English, it can sound unusually formal.
For example:
Where do you reside?
is grammatically fine, but a friend would usually say:
Where do you live?
Likewise:
I reside in Lahore.
is correct, but:
I live in Lahore.
sounds more natural in casual conversation.
A useful rule
Use “live” for normal conversation. Use “reside” when the formal tone is useful.
Reside in vs Live in
These expressions often have the same basic meaning.
Compare:
She lives in London.
She resides in London.
The preposition remains in because London is a city.
The difference is mainly tone.
Live:
- common
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- natural
- everyday
Reside:
- formal
- official
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- sometimes legal or academic
Reside on vs Live on
The same relationship applies to streets.
He lives on Baker Street.
He resides on Baker Street.
Both are correct.
The second sounds more formal.
If you are writing a casual text, lives on is normally the better choice.
If you are completing a formal document, resides on may fit the style.
Reside at vs Live at
Again, the grammatical pattern is similar.
She lives at 17 Park Road.
She resides at 17 Park Road.
Both are correct.
The second is more formal.
The exact address strongly favors at.
20+ Real-Life Examples
Everyday Conversation
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- She resides on a quiet street near the park.
- My grandparents reside in a small village.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Text Messages
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- She now resides on Green Road.
- He resides at the new apartment near campus.
Email Writing
- Please confirm whether you currently reside in the United States.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- Our records indicate that you reside in the northern region.
Business Writing
- The customer currently resides in California.
- The employee resides at the company’s residential facility.
- The survey included customers who reside in several countries.
Academic Writing
- The participants reside in both urban and rural communities.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The researchers examined families that reside on the island.
Professional Documents
- The tenant resides at 42 King Street.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The organization serves individuals who reside in the surrounding region.
Social Media
- I currently reside in Toronto, although I grew up elsewhere.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Formal Reports
- The majority of residents reside in metropolitan areas.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The family has resided in the region for more than twenty years.
Notice the Level of Specificity
Consider this sequence:
She resides in Canada.
She resides in Toronto.
She resides on King Street.
She resides at 25 King Street.
The location becomes increasingly specific.
Canada → country
Toronto → city
King Street → street
25 King Street → exact address
This is why the prepositions change.
Reside in a Neighborhood
Neighborhood names normally take in.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- He resides in a quiet neighborhood.
- They reside in the suburbs.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
The neighborhood is treated as an area.
Reside in a Region
Use in for regions.
Examples:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- She resides in the Punjab region.
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- The researchers reside in different parts of the country.
Reside on a Street vs Reside at an Address
This is one of the most important distinctions.
Street
She resides on Oxford Street.
Exact address
She resides at 14 Oxford Street.
The street name identifies a broader location.
The street number identifies a specific address.
Reside in an Apartment vs Reside at an Apartment
Both patterns can occur, but they emphasize different things.
Reside in an apartment focuses on the dwelling itself.
She resides in a small apartment.
Reside at an apartment can be used when the apartment complex or named location is treated as a particular place, but it is less generally useful than in for the dwelling itself.
For ordinary writing, prefer:
She resides in an apartment.
For an exact address:
She resides at 20 Park Avenue, Apartment 4B.
Reside in a House vs Reside at a House
The normal choice when talking about the dwelling itself is:
They reside in a large house.
But at can occur when the house is being treated as a particular location.
For example:
The guests reside at the house during the summer.
The meaning and context determine the choice.
When you simply mean “inside the house as a home,” in is usually the natural option.
Reside at Home
You may also see:
She resides at home with her parents.
However, in ordinary English, this is formal and somewhat stiff.
More natural:
She lives at home with her parents.
Again, reside is not wrong. It is simply more formal than most everyday speakers need.
Reside in vs Reside at: A Useful Distinction
When choosing between in and at, ask:
Is the place an area or a particular point?
If it is an area:
reside in London
If it is a specific point:
reside at 25 King Street
This is similar to the broader English distinction:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- at → a particular location or point
Reside on vs Reside in: A Useful Distinction
Ask:
Am I naming an area or a street?
Area:
reside in Manchester
Street:
reside on Manchester Road
This is a reliable practical distinction.
Reside on vs Reside at: A Useful Distinction
Ask:
Am I giving a street or an exact address?
Street:
reside on Victoria Avenue
Exact address:
reside at 88 Victoria Avenue
This is probably the most useful contrast for address-related writing.
Common Mistakes With Reside
Mistake 1: Using In With an Exact Address
Incorrect or unnatural:
She resides in 25 Main Street.
Better:
She resides at 25 Main Street.
The exact address calls for at in standard usage.
Mistake 2: Using At With a City
Unnatural:
He resides at London.
Correct:
He resides in London.
A city is normally treated as an area, so in is appropriate.
Mistake 3: Using In With a Street
Unnatural:
She resides in Oxford Street.
Natural:
She resides on Oxford Street.
When referring to the street itself, on is the normal choice.
Mistake 4: Assuming Reside Always Requires In
Some learners memorize:
reside + in
and use it everywhere.
That is too broad.
You can say:
reside in Canada
but:
reside on King Street
and:
reside at 25 King Street
The preposition depends on the location.
Mistake 5: Thinking Reside Is More Grammatically Correct Than Live
Live is not an inferior form.
These are both correct:
I live in Pakistan.
I reside in Pakistan.
The second is simply more formal.
Do not replace live with reside just to make ordinary writing sound sophisticated.
How to Choose the Right Preposition
Use this simple decision process.
Step 1: Identify the Location
Ask what kind of place you are naming.
Is it a:
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- city?
- state?
- region?
- neighborhood?
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
- apartment?
- street?
- road?
- island?
- exact address?
- Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Step 2: Choose the Basic Pattern
Use:
IN for an area or dwelling.
ON for a street, road, or surface.
AT for a specific point or address.
Step 3: Check the Tone
Ask whether reside is actually necessary.
In everyday conversation, live is usually more natural.
In formal writing, reside can be appropriate.
A Simple Decision Chart
| If you mean… | Use |
|---|---|
| Country | reside in |
| City | reside in |
| State | reside in |
| Province | reside in |
| Region | reside in |
| Neighborhood | reside in |
| House | reside in |
| Apartment | reside in |
| Street | reside on |
| Road | reside on |
| Avenue | reside on |
| Island | reside on |
| Exact address | reside at |
| Specific facility | often reside at |
| Particular institution | often reside at |
US and UK English
The basic distinction among in, on, and at is broadly shared by American and British English.
For example, both varieties commonly use:
reside in London
reside on Baker Street
reside at 10 Downing Street
There is no major US-versus-UK rule that changes the fundamental pattern.
Differences may arise with particular place names or local conventions, but the core location system remains stable.
Formal vs Informal Usage
The biggest style difference is not really between in, on, and at.
It is between reside and live.
Informal
I live in Lahore.
Neutral
She lives on Green Street.
Formal
The applicant resides at the address provided.
For normal conversation, live usually wins.
For official documents, reside can be a good fit.
Professional Writing: Which Should You Choose?
Use reside when the formal meaning of residence matters.
Good examples include:
Applicants must reside in the designated region.
The tenant resides at the property identified in the agreement.
Participants must reside in the study area.
Avoid using reside merely to make a sentence sound more professional.
For example:
Our team members reside in different cities.
is grammatical.
But if you are writing an informal company message, this may sound more natural:
Our team members live in different cities.
Clear writing is usually better than unnecessarily formal writing.
Academic Writing: Which Should You Choose?
Both live and reside can appear in academic prose.
Use reside when discussing a population’s location in a formal or research-oriented context:
The participants reside in rural communities.
Use live when a simpler expression is more direct:
The participants live in rural communities.
Neither is automatically more correct.
Legal Writing: Which Should You Choose?
In legal and administrative contexts, reside is particularly common.
Examples:
The applicant resides in the jurisdiction.
The parties reside at separate addresses.
The defendant resides in the state.
The word works well because legal writing often needs a formal way to describe a person’s permanent or usual place of residence.
Is Reside a Transitive Verb?
In the meaning discussed here, reside is normally an intransitive verb.
That means it generally does not take a direct object in constructions such as:
She resides London.
That sentence is incorrect.
You need a preposition:
She resides in London.
Likewise:
He resides on Main Street.
or:
He resides at 50 Main Street.
The preposition is essential.
Can You Say “Reside Somewhere”?
Yes.
You can use reside without naming the exact location.
For example:
Where does she reside?
The document does not state where he resides.
The family formerly resided there.
Here, the location may be supplied by an adverb such as there or where.
Can You Say “Reside Here”?
Yes.
Examples:
Many families reside here.
The students reside here during the academic year.
But once again, this sounds more formal than:
Many families live here.
Can You Say “Reside With Someone”?
Yes.
For example:
She resides with her parents.
He currently resides with his brother.
The preposition with identifies the people with whom the person lives, while in, on, or at identifies the location.
You can even combine them:
She resides with her parents in Toronto.
Can You Say “Reside Near Somewhere”?
Yes.
For example:
They reside near the university.
She resides near the city center.
Near does not identify an exact location. It simply indicates proximity.
Again, live is usually more natural in everyday speech:
They live near the university.
Can You Say “Reside Outside a City”?
Yes.
Examples:
He resides outside London.
The family resides outside the city.
The word outside works as a location preposition because the meaning is “in an area beyond” the specified place.
Can You Say “Reside Within a Region”?
Yes.
This is especially common in formal writing.
The participants reside within the study area.
Most residents reside within the designated region.
Within emphasizes the boundaries of an area.
Can You Say “Reside Around a City”?
You can, but the meaning changes.
They reside around London.
This suggests that they live in various places surrounding London rather than directly inside the city.
A more natural expression may be:
They live in the area around London.
or:
They reside in the surrounding area.
Can You Say “Reside Upon”?
Although older or highly formal English may use upon in certain location expressions, it is generally unnecessary in modern everyday English.
Prefer:
reside on the island
rather than deliberately choosing an old-fashioned alternative.
Modern English usually values clarity over formality for its own sake.
Memory Tricks
Trick 1: Think of a Map
Imagine a map.
A city or country is a large area.
So:
IN a city
IN a country
A street is a line on the map.
So:
ON a street
ON a road
An exact address is a point.
So:
AT an address
Remember:
IN = area
ON = line/surface
AT = point
Trick 2: Zoom In
Imagine zooming into a map.
At a wide view:
She resides in Canada.
Zoom closer:
She resides in Toronto.
Zoom closer:
She resides on King Street.
Zoom all the way in:
She resides at 25 King Street.
The closer you get to an exact location, the more likely at becomes appropriate.
Trick 3: Country, Street, Number
Memorize this sequence:
Country → IN
Street → ON
Number → AT
For example:
reside in Canada
reside on King Street
reside at 25 King Street
This simple pattern handles a large number of real-world sentences.
Common Questions About Reside in vs Reside on vs Reside at
Is “reside in” grammatically correct?
Yes. Reside in is grammatically correct when the following location is an area, such as a city, country, state, province, region, neighborhood, house, or apartment.
Example:
She resides in Toronto.
Is “reside on” grammatically correct?
Yes. Reside on is correct when the location is commonly expressed with on, especially a street, road, avenue, or island.
Example:
He resides on Baker Street.
Is “reside at” grammatically correct?
Yes. Reside at is correct when you identify a specific location or address.
Example:
She resides at 25 Baker Street.
It is particularly common in formal and administrative writing.
Should I say “reside in” or “reside at” a city?
Use reside in.
Correct:
She resides in Chicago.
Not:
She resides at Chicago.
A city is normally treated as an area.
Should I say “reside in” or “reside on” a street?
Use reside on when referring to the street.
Correct:
He resides on Main Street.
If you provide the exact street number, use at:
He resides at 100 Main Street.
Is “reside at” more formal than “reside in”?
Not exactly.
The prepositions are chosen based on the location. At is not inherently more formal than in.
However, reside itself is more formal than live, and at often appears in official writing because exact addresses are frequently recorded there.
Is “reside” better than “live”?
Not necessarily.
Live is more common and natural in everyday English.
Reside is useful when a formal, official, legal, or administrative tone is appropriate.
For example:
Where do you live?
is usually better in conversation than:
Where do you reside?
Can I use “reside on” for an island?
Yes.
For example:
They reside on the island.
This is a natural use of on because an island is treated as a physical surface or landmass.
Can I say “reside at home”?
Yes, but it sounds formal.
She resides at home with her parents.
is grammatical.
In everyday English, this is usually more natural:
She lives at home with her parents.
Are “reside in,” “reside on,” and “reside at” interchangeable?
No.
All three can be correct, but they normally describe different types of locations.
- reside in → area or dwelling
- reside on → street, road, or surface
- reside at → exact point or address
Choosing the wrong preposition can make a sentence sound unnatural or incorrect.
The Most Important Patterns to Remember
If you remember only a few examples, remember these:
I reside in Pakistan.
I reside in Lahore.
I reside on Main Street.
I reside at 25 Main Street.
I reside in an apartment.
I reside at the university residence.
These examples cover most of the practical distinction.
Conclusion
The correct choice in reside in vs reside on vs reside at depends on the location you are describing.
Use reside in for a broad area or dwelling:
- reside in Pakistan
- reside in Lahore
- reside in Punjab
- reside in a village
- reside in an apartment
Use reside on for streets, roads, avenues, and similar locations:
- reside on Main Street
- reside on Park Avenue
- reside on Oak Road
- reside on an island
Use reside at for a specific address or particular point:
- reside at 25 Main Street
- reside at 14 Park Avenue
- reside at the university residence
The simplest rule is:
IN = area
ON = street or surface
AT = exact point
There is no single winner among the three prepositions. All are correct when used with the right type of location.
There is, however, one additional style point worth remembering: reside is considerably more formal than live.
In ordinary conversation, live will usually sound more natural. In legal, administrative, professional, and formal contexts, reside can be an appropriate and precise choice.
So, if you are writing an address, think in → on → at as the location becomes more specific:
in Lahore → on Main Street → at 25 Main Street
That pattern is simple, accurate, and reliable in modern English.
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