Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Housing and homelessness
Rural Housing: Weaknesses in Data Quality and Use Limit HUD's Ability to Assess Effectiveness of Service Coordinators
Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
Provides an overview of service coordinators in rural federally assisted housing that link residents to healthcare, transportation, and other supportive services. Describes the availability and quality of data on these service coordinators and evidence of their effects on residents' well-being. Offers recommendations for collecting data on service coordinators and analyzing performance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
view details
The 2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
view details
Presents a point-in-time estimate of the number of people experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness in January 2025. Explores national estimates on homeless individuals, families, unaccompanied youth, veterans, and chronically homeless individuals. Provides data on homelessness trends over time, demographics of homeless individuals, sheltered individuals, and differences by geography.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
view details
How Primary Care Associations Can Serve as Champions of Multisector Collaboration
Describes the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association's Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) pilot including the partners, focus on housing instability and public benefits denials, findings after Years 1 and 2, lessons learned, and future plans. 2 of 3 community health centers in the pilot serve rural and migrant and seasonal agricultural worker populations.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
view details
Describes the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association's Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) pilot including the partners, focus on housing instability and public benefits denials, findings after Years 1 and 2, lessons learned, and future plans. 2 of 3 community health centers in the pilot serve rural and migrant and seasonal agricultural worker populations.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
view details
Differential Impact of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program on Veterans Affairs Healthcare Utilization and Costs among Rural and Urban Veterans Experiencing Housing Instability
Presents a study examining differences in the impact of the VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program on both healthcare utilization and costs for rural and urban veterans experiencing housing instability. Breaks down data by inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department utilization and costs for rural and urban, and SSVF and non-SSVF cohorts.
Author(s): Minkyoung Yoo, Alec B. Chapman, Ying Suo, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70167
Date: 05/2026
view details
Presents a study examining differences in the impact of the VA's Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program on both healthcare utilization and costs for rural and urban veterans experiencing housing instability. Breaks down data by inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department utilization and costs for rural and urban, and SSVF and non-SSVF cohorts.
Author(s): Minkyoung Yoo, Alec B. Chapman, Ying Suo, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70167
Date: 05/2026
view details
Economic Stability of Children, a Key Social Determinant of Health, in the United States: Differences by Rurality
Presents a study exploring economic security as a social determinant of health for rural children. Compares rates of economic security for rural and urban children by three different measures: housing instability, food insecurity, and income inadequacy.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Emma Boswell, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70164
Date: 05/2026
view details
Presents a study exploring economic security as a social determinant of health for rural children. Compares rates of economic security for rural and urban children by three different measures: housing instability, food insecurity, and income inadequacy.
Author(s): Elizabeth Crouch, Emma Boswell, Cassie Odahowski, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70164
Date: 05/2026
view details
Rural Community Perspectives on Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina
Assesses community perspectives of long-term recovery in two rural western North Carolina counties severely affected by Hurricane Helene. Focuses on housing, communication, transportation, mental health, and food insecurity.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Horney, Lilly Moreau
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 60-68
Date: 04/2026
view details
Assesses community perspectives of long-term recovery in two rural western North Carolina counties severely affected by Hurricane Helene. Focuses on housing, communication, transportation, mental health, and food insecurity.
Author(s): Jennifer A. Horney, Lilly Moreau
Citation: Journal of Appalachian Health, 8(1), 60-68
Date: 04/2026
view details
Virginia's Plan for Well-Being: 2025-2029
Offers a data and community-driven roadmap to improve health outcomes and ensure that all Virginians live in conditions that allow them to thrive. Includes statistics on social determinants of health, infant mortality, firearm-related deaths and injury, obesity, mental health, substance use disorder, and housing. Features a county-level map showing rates of drug overdose deaths as of 2021. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health
view details
Offers a data and community-driven roadmap to improve health outcomes and ensure that all Virginians live in conditions that allow them to thrive. Includes statistics on social determinants of health, infant mortality, firearm-related deaths and injury, obesity, mental health, substance use disorder, and housing. Features a county-level map showing rates of drug overdose deaths as of 2021. Mentions rural throughout.
Date: 04/2026
Sponsoring organization: Virginia Department of Health
view details
Traumatic Brain Injury among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Veterans Accessing Veterans Health Administration Homeless Services: A Preliminary Examination
Compares traumatic brain injury diagnoses among homeless Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) and non-NHPI veterans using 2005-2018 Veterans Health Administration homeless services data. Includes data breakdowns by rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Ryan Holliday, Sara Lum, Christine Kindler, et al.
Citation: Hawaiʻi Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(3), 64-72
Date: 03/2026
view details
Compares traumatic brain injury diagnoses among homeless Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) and non-NHPI veterans using 2005-2018 Veterans Health Administration homeless services data. Includes data breakdowns by rurality, among other factors.
Author(s): Ryan Holliday, Sara Lum, Christine Kindler, et al.
Citation: Hawaiʻi Journal of Health and Social Welfare, 85(3), 64-72
Date: 03/2026
view details
Rural Voices: You Can Do This Because You Are Small - Finding Capital for Affordable Rural Housing
Discusses securing financial investments and capital to support affordable housing in rural communities.
Author(s): Seth Leonard
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
view details
Discusses securing financial investments and capital to support affordable housing in rural communities.
Author(s): Seth Leonard
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
view details
The Cost of Living in Minnesota: Highest in the Metro, Rising Fastest in Rural Areas
Examines cost of living across Minnesota counties and the economic variables driving costs. Utilizes Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) data to analyze hourly wages, housing, transportation, child care, and more. Provides interactive county-level maps to show cost of living changes.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
view details
Examines cost of living across Minnesota counties and the economic variables driving costs. Utilizes Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) data to analyze hourly wages, housing, transportation, child care, and more. Provides interactive county-level maps to show cost of living changes.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
view details