The study examined social competence of adolescents and ascertained variations in the group based on gender, type of parents they lived with, and community of residence. The comparative analysis study utilised adolescents in their formative years of development. Descriptive survey design was utilised and questionnaire was the sole data collection tool. The study revealed that most of the adolescents demonstrated moderate levels of social competence in social settings. The research did not find difference in the social competence of adolescents living with real and pseudo parents; and male and female adolescents. The results, nonetheless, showed significant difference in the social competence of the adolescents living in the rural, semi-urban and urban communities. The results evince that location of residence matters in the development of adolescents' social competence. Policies, strategies and programmes intended to help improve adolescents' social competence in the developing world need to target those residing in rural communities more than those in the other communities.

Abstract