Cities: Skylines has five industrial zone types: generic industry plus four specialisations — farming, forestry, oil and ore. Paint a district over industrial zones on the matching natural resource, set the specialisation and run the game. Farming and forestry are the gentler options; oil and ore earn more but pollute heavily.
Industrial specialisations turn a generic industrial zone into farms, sawmills, oil fields or mines. Each one uses a natural resource on the map, behaves differently and pollutes differently. Getting them right early saves you from relocating a whole industrial zone later, which is exactly what I ended up doing in Takaoka, my Cities: Skylines II island city.
The five industrial zones
| Type | Needs | Pollution | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Generic | Nothing special | High | Levels up with education |
| Farming | Fertile land | Low | Large area, low density, renewable |
| Forestry | Forest resources | Low | Renewable |
| Oil | Oil resources | Heavy | Deposits deplete over time |
| Ore | Ore resources | Heavy | Deposits deplete over time |
Specialised industry doesn’t level up like generic industry. It stays at the same level and depends on its resource instead.
Step by step
- Check the natural resources view first. Fertile land, forest, oil and ore are shown as coloured areas.
- Zone industry on top of the resource you want to use.
- Paint the districts (0:35) over those zones.
- Add the specialisation (1:42) in the district panel.
- Run the game (2:42) and watch the buildings change.
- Compare the pollution levels (6:50). Ground pollution from oil and ore spreads and lingers.
Planning tips
- Keep heavy industry away from homes and water intakes. Ground pollution makes residents sick and lowers land value; polluted water does worse.
- Mind the river. Put water pumps upstream of industry, never downstream.
- Connect it to freight. Cargo trains and harbours take trucks off your roads. A cargo station right next to the industrial district is one of the best traffic fixes in the game.
- Leave room to move it. The Takaoka finale was relocating a whole industrial zone to fix pollution. That’s far easier to plan from the start.
- Plan for depletion. Oil and ore run out. When they do, the land can become generic industry, offices or something else entirely.
When to use the Industries DLC instead
The Industries expansion adds a different system: industry areas with production chains, warehouses and unique factories, managed like a park. It’s more complex and more rewarding for an industrial focus. The district specialisations in this guide still work alongside it.
Common problems
Industry complains about missing workers. Generic industry needs low-educated workers at low levels. A highly educated city leaves those jobs empty.
Trucks everywhere. Specialised industry exports raw goods. Without freight rail or a harbour, everything leaves by road.
Sick residents near industry. Ground pollution has reached homes. Move the boundary or add a buffer of offices or parks.
Video chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 0:35Painting the districts
- 1:42Adding the specialisations
- 2:42Running the game
- 6:50Checking the pollution levels
- 9:50Outro
Clicking a chapter starts the video above at that point.
Related videos
FAQ
What are the five industrial zones in Cities: Skylines?
Generic industry, plus the four specialisations: farming, forestry, oil and ore.
Where should I put a specialised industry district?
On top of the matching natural resource — fertile land, forest, oil or ore — shown in the natural resources info view.
Which industry pollutes the least?
Farming and forestry are the gentler options. Oil and ore pollute heavily and should sit well away from homes and water intakes.
Do oil and ore run out in Cities: Skylines?
Yes. Oil and ore deposits deplete over time; farming and forestry are renewable.
Should I use district specialisations or the Industries DLC?
Specialisations are simpler and work in the base game. The Industries DLC adds production chains and unique factories for players who want industry to be a bigger part of the city.
