The borough Kvadraturen is the city downtown centrum and administrative centre for Kristiansand municipality.

Other urban areas without that status are called tettsteder which roughly translates as village in English.

[1] Some of the larger villages and suburban areas in the region include Hægeland and Skarpengland in Vennesla; Finsland, Brennåsen, Volleberg, and Nodeland, Vedderheia, Høllen, Åros, and Langenes in Kristiansand; and Engesland, Herefoss, Oggevatn, and Vegusdal in Birkenes.

Kristiansand municipality also has some large suburban areas in some part-boroughs of the boroughs, like in Vågsbygd has larger suburban areas like Voiebyen, Slettheitoppen in Slettheia, Åsane and the island Flekkerøy.

And in Oddernes is Hånes, Søm and Hamresanden, Brattvollshei at Tveit, Tømmerstø, Dvergsnes, Odderhei and Holte at Randesund.

Vennesla Station gets train traffic from Oslo to Kristiansand which at selective hours continues to Stavanger.

The European route E39 highway is the main road for western Kristiansand, lower Songdalen, and Søgne.

It is highway from downtown Kristiansand to Hellemyr, and from Brennåsen in Songdalen, to Tangvall in Søgne.

In the region, there are high schools in Kristiansand, Lillesand, Søgne, Vennesla, and Øvrebø.

There are also folk high schools such as the Agder Folkehøgskole in Søgne and NLA Mediehøgskolen Gimlekollen in Kristiansand.