We hear these terms used almost interchangeably — often by people who genuinely aren’t sure which one describes what they’re looking for. Here’s a plain-language breakdown of the terms we hear most.
| Term | What It Usually Means |
|---|---|
| Recovery Residence | The formal industry term for substance-free, peer-based housing that supports (but doesn’t replace) recovery. This is what we are. |
| Sober Living Home | The everyday name for the same thing — voluntary, structured, substance-free housing for people in recovery. |
| Sober House | A regional variant of the same term, common in some parts of the country — not a different type of program. |
| 3/4 House | A less formal, lower-structure step between a full recovery residence and fully independent living — often less supervision, less consistent standards. |
| Halfway House | Traditionally housing connected to the criminal justice system for people transitioning out of incarceration — a different population and purpose than voluntary recovery housing. |
| Transitional Housing | A broad term covering any temporary housing bridging one life stage to another — not specific to recovery, and can include recovery residences as one type. |
Why the Overlap Happens
We think most of the confusion comes down to two things: these terms get used loosely in everyday conversation, and search engines like Google don’t always have a dedicated category for “sober living home” — which is part of why we sometimes show up in “halfway house” searches even though that’s not what we are. We’ve written a full breakdown of that specific distinction in Sober Living vs. Halfway House.
What We Actually Are
We’re a CTARR-certified recovery residence — voluntary, peer-based, substance-free housing with NARR-trained staff, not a halfway house and not an informal 3/4 house. For a fuller definition of what that term means and what to look for, read What Is a Recovery Residence? A Guide for Families.
Not sure which term describes what you’re looking for? Call us at (860) 337-1029 and we’ll help you sort it out.