-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PvQ7/6dKW4mMRj+mMHJzzLXwltwtQ75EG2dQOSKLYU8QZ0qKzTeSuMXr0d7I4bvO
 nDpNWoz+bbpEtCIk6QEViA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001225113-04-000028.txt : 20040331
<SEC-HEADER>0001225113-04-000028.hdr.sgml : 20040331
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040331094149
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001225113-04-000028
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040331
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040331

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			JAMES JUANITA T
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001215320

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-11543
		FILM NUMBER:		04703920

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O THE ROUSE CO
		STREET 2:		10275 LITTLE PATUXENT PARKWAY
		CITY:			COLUMBIA
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			21044
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4109926161

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ROUSE COMPANY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000085388
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	OPERATORS OF NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS [6512]
		IRS NUMBER:				520735512
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			MD
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10275 LITTLE PATUXENT PKWY
		CITY:			COLUMBIA
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			21044-3456
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4109926000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10275 LITTLE PATUXENT PARKWAY
		CITY:			COLUMBIA
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			21044

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	COMMUNITY RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19660913
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-03-31</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000085388</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ROUSE COMPANY</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RSE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001215320</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>JAMES JUANITA T</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O THE ROUSE COMPANY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>10275 LITTLE PATUXENT PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>COLUMBIA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MD</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>21044-3456</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Phantom Stock Units</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-03-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>106.8</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>52.6684</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>106.8</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>361.937</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Phantom Stock Units were credit to the Reporting Person's Deferred Compensation Account under The Rouse Company Deferred Compensation Plan for Outside Directors and are to be settled in cash when the Reporting Person ceases to be a Director.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Phantom Stock converts into Common Stock on a one-for-one basis.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Number included: (a) shares paid to the Reporting Person under the Company's Dividend Reinvestment Program that are not required to be individually reported and (b) Phantom Stock Units held in the Reporting Person's Deferred Retainer Account under The Rouse Company Deferred Compensation Plan for Outside Directors and will be settled in cash when the Reporting Person ceases to be a Director.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jeffrey C. Palkovitz, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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