Lao loum traditionally live in stable independent villages situated near lowland rivers or steams. At higher elevations, villages are located in valley areas that give as much access as possible to land suitable for paddy tice cultivation, usually , villages are separated by rice fields or unused land. In rural areas, there might be five kilometers or more between villages, whereas in more densely populated areas only one kilometer or less separates the settlements. Most villages have grown in population over time, and if good land becomes scarce in the vicinity