Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Housing and homelessness
Rural Lending and the Need for Expanded Access to Credit: Evaluating and Expanded Threshold for Defining Rurality
Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
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Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
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Rural Research Brief: USDA's Section 515 Multifamily Housing Portfolio Continues to Shrink
Provides interactive data on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Section 515 multifamily housing direct loan program which helps secure affordable rental housing for rural residents. Provides state-level data on Section 515 available properties, property exits, and property declines. Describes Section 515 properties and characteristics of rural renters.
Author(s): Blue Miller, Lance George
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Provides interactive data on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Section 515 multifamily housing direct loan program which helps secure affordable rental housing for rural residents. Provides state-level data on Section 515 available properties, property exits, and property declines. Describes Section 515 properties and characteristics of rural renters.
Author(s): Blue Miller, Lance George
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Housing Affordability in the United States: Exploring Unaffordable Rent in 2024 Using State Health Compare
Presents information on unaffordable rent in the United States in 2024 according to disability status, income, Medicaid enrollment, state, metro versus nonmetro location, and demographic variables.
Author(s): Zoë Pringle, Elliot Walsh
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center
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Presents information on unaffordable rent in the United States in 2024 according to disability status, income, Medicaid enrollment, state, metro versus nonmetro location, and demographic variables.
Author(s): Zoë Pringle, Elliot Walsh
Date: 06/2026
Sponsoring organization: State Health Access Data Assistance Center
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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
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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
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Bridging The Gap CoC: Homeless Point-in-Time Count January 25, 2026
Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in Hawaii's rural Hawaii, Kaua`i, and Maui counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, and more. See Dashboards for additional data.
Additional links: Dashboards
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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Report offering point-in-time data on the homeless population in Hawaii's rural Hawaii, Kaua`i, and Maui counties. Discusses trends over time for various populations including veterans, children, families, people with substance use disorder, and more. See Dashboards for additional data.
Additional links: Dashboards
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Bridging the Gap, Ka Mana O Na Helu
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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
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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
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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. Requires an email to download for free.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
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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. Requires an email to download for free.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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