The inner city is the older, denser area near the centre. Inner city schools, grow up in the inner city.
In British use it carries an assumption of deprivation that the words alone do not, which is worth noticing. In America the same phrase carries the same assumption and a racial edge as well.
1nouninner cityThe older, denser area near the centre.
“The scheme was aimed at inner city schools with the least funding.”
inner city is an area.
Practised in In the City