Basically, inhabitant is someone or something living in an environment while resident is usually someone living in a place. Sometimes they can be used interchangeably. Please follow and pm me for a more detailed explanation :)

Actually they are of the same meaning - it's a person or animal that lives in or occupies a place. But 'inhabitant' is commonly use when pertaining to an animal & 'resident' is properly use when pertaining to a person. Thank you. Hope that helps .

Inhabitant is someone who live there now but may not be born there. Resident is someone who was born there but may not live there now. Make sense?

In the US, ‘resident’ often suggests having a legal status, and is more common than ‘inhabitant’. It can be both a noun or adjective. He’s a resident of Texas. (which gives him legal status there) He’s resident in Texas. (correct, same meaning, but less common) He resides in Texas. (Less specifically legal. He lives there.) This message is to notify all the inhabitants of the building that the water will be shut off on Wednesday at noon. (anyone who happens to be living there)

Good question; the two words are almost the same. The explanations given by others here are true (the words tend to be used for different contexts), and it will cause no misunderstanding if you use one for the other.