In my experience, it's a distinction made in suburbs, I suspect because of the influence of NIMBYs who are opposed to rental apartments existing or being built.

In my experience, it's a distinction made in suburbs, I suspect because of the influence of NIMBYs who are opposed to rental apartments existing or being built. They say it's because they're afraid it'll lower property values and attract the "wrong" kinds of people that they chose to live in suburbs to stay away from. "Apartments" says urban sprawl, poor people and minorities, "condos" says the opposite. The first says "there goes the neighborhood" and the other implies luxury housing that raises property values. In cities, "apartments" is generally used for rental and owned apartments.