The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word GHETTOES
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The straight part
We know that "living areas" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case living areas = ghettoes.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does GHETTOES mean?
GHETTOES noun- An (often walled) area of a city in which Jews are concentrated by force and law. (Used particularly of areas in medieval Italy and in Nazi-controlled Europe.)
- An (often impoverished) area of a city inhabited predominantly by members of a specific nationality, ethnicity or race.
- An area in which people who are distinguished by sharing something other than ethnicity concentrate or are concentrated.
- (sometimes derogatory) An isolated, self-contained, segregated subsection, area or field of interest; often of minority or specialist interest.
- To confine (a specified group of people) to a ghetto.