According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a city is "an inhabited place of greater size, population, or importance than a town or village"; a town is "a compactly settled area usually larger than a village but smaller than a city"; and a village is "a settlement usually larger than a hamlet and smaller than a town".
One can deduce from these definitions that the word "city" cannot be used to describe a town or a village, and that the word "town" cannot be used to describe a city or a village.
If, therefore, one wanted to speak of both a city and a town, as for example, "The city of Philadelphia and the town of Hershey", what word could he use to describe both of them, in saying, for example, "Both of these [] are in Pennsylvania"?
Thank you.
Best Answer
Each could be described as a Population center. This would not imply magnitude which seems to be your goal.