Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

Rural Health
Resources by Topic: County-by-county data

Health Conditions and an Older Population Increase COVID-19 Risks in Rural America
Examines the influence of age and pre-existing health conditions on the likelihood of hospitalization or death from COVID-19 infection in rural America. Compares COVID-19 case rates and deaths by metropolitan status. Includes county-level maps on estimated risks among those infected with COVID-19 and current incidence as of August 2020.
Author(s): Kenneth M. Johnson
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Carsey School of Public Policy
view details
Three Levels of Rural Definition at FORHP
County-level map showing urban counties, selected metropolitan rural-urban commuting areas (RUCAs) 2 and 3, metropolitan RUCAs 4 and higher, and nonmetropolitan counties, according to definitions used by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).
Date: 08/2020
Type: Map/Mapping System
Sponsoring organization: The Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
view details
Trends in Number and Distribution of COVID-19 Hotspot Counties — United States, March 8–July 15, 2020
Examines trends in the location of COVID-19 hotspot counties, counties that had increasing case numbers and incidence. Includes maps identifying hotspot counties for specific time periods. Provides data on COVID-19 hotspot alerts for metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore counties.
Author(s): Alexandra M. Oster, Gloria J. Kang, Amy E. Cha, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(33), 1127-1132
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
Age and Aging in Rural America
Discusses results from the Census and American Community Survey (ACS), highlighting the older and aging population of rural communities in the U.S. Provides maps showing county-level data from 2018, with information on median age and percent of population belonging to various age groups.
Date: 08/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
view details
Adolescent and Teenage Pregnancy Report, Kansas, 2018
Summarizes research examining teen pregnancy in Kansas from 2014-2018. Includes rural/urban comparisons and county-level information on pregnancy and birth rates, with data broken down by age and year.
Author(s): Lee Norman, Kay Haug, Cathryn Savage, David Oakley, Greg Crawford
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Kansas Department of Health and Environment
view details
High COVID-19 Mortality Risk in Pennsylvania's Rural Counties
Discusses the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization or death in Pennsylvania rural counties, due to high prevalence rates of chronic disease and percentage of populations age 65 or older. Features a map showing variation in chronic health comorbidities in Pennsylvania counties.
Additional links: Interactive Map
Author(s): Raeven Faye Chandler, Shannon M. Monnat, Yue Sun
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion
view details
Medicare Beneficiary Use of Telehealth Visits: Early Data from the Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Examines changes in Medicare in-person primary care visits and the use of telehealth services at the start of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Discusses how Medicare telehealth flexibilities implemented in response to COVID-19 impacted access to these services. Compares the percentage of primary care telehealth visits between rural and urban providers. Includes a county-level map displaying the percentage of primary care visits conducted via telehealth services in April 2020.
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation
view details
Estimated County-Level Prevalence of Selected Underlying Medical Conditions Associated with Increased Risk for Severe COVID-19 Illness — United States, 2018
Reports on the estimated number and proportion of people with certain underlying medical conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19. Provides county-level maps with data on adults with any of these conditions: chronic respiratory conditions, heart disease, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or obesity. Also discusses the prevalence of underlying conditions in rural counties.
Author(s): Hilda Razzaghi, Yan Wang, Hua Lu, et al.
Citation: MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report), 69(29), 945-950
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
view details
American Communities Experience Deaths of Despair at Uneven Rates
Analyzes nationally representative data from 2014-2018 on deaths of despair (DoD), or deaths resulting from substance use or suicide. Includes county-level statistics on DoD, with information broken down by rurality and race/ethnicity.
Author(s): Dante Chinni
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: American Communities Project
view details
Left Out: Barriers to Health Equity for Rural and Underserved Communities
Summarizes responses to a Request for Information from the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee's Rural and Underserved Communities Health Task Force. Describes factors contributing to healthcare challenges in rural areas, including demographics, social and structural determinants of health, insurance coverage, access to care, and workforce shortages. Highlights promising models of healthcare delivery in rural areas. Includes state-by-state health equity maps.
Additional links: State and Territory Health Equity Maps, Summary
Date: 07/2020
Type: Document
Sponsoring organization: House Ways and Means Committee
view details