Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural definitions
Health Professional Shortage Areas: Louisiana
Provides information and definitions on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs), and Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs), as well as related HPSA opportunities and healthcare facilities. Includes county-level maps of primary care, dental, and mental HPSAs in Louisiana.
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Department of Health
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Provides information and definitions on Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs), and Medically Underserved Populations (MUPs), as well as related HPSA opportunities and healthcare facilities. Includes county-level maps of primary care, dental, and mental HPSAs in Louisiana.
Sponsoring organization: Louisiana Department of Health
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Defining Rural for Wisconsin
Explains rural classification systems of Wisconsin counties. Includes maps that define or illuminate rural areas via rural-urban continuum codes, index of relative rurality, rural population by Census tract, rural-urban commuting areas, housing density, location of Wisconsin hospitals, and drive time to emergency care.
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
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Explains rural classification systems of Wisconsin counties. Includes maps that define or illuminate rural areas via rural-urban continuum codes, index of relative rurality, rural population by Census tract, rural-urban commuting areas, housing density, location of Wisconsin hospitals, and drive time to emergency care.
Sponsoring organization: Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
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USAC Rurality Tier Search Tool
Allows users to determine the applicable rural tier for a specific site location to calculate the rural rate for telecommunications support through the RHC Telecom Program. Tiers include extremely rural, rural, less rural, and non-rural. Tool provides general information; rurality tiers are formally assigned through the review and approval of FCC forms.
Additional links: How to: Use the Rurality Tier Search Tool
Sponsoring organization: Universal Service Administrative Company
Allows users to determine the applicable rural tier for a specific site location to calculate the rural rate for telecommunications support through the RHC Telecom Program. Tiers include extremely rural, rural, less rural, and non-rural. Tool provides general information; rurality tiers are formally assigned through the review and approval of FCC forms.
Additional links: How to: Use the Rurality Tier Search Tool
Sponsoring organization: Universal Service Administrative Company
Related funding:
Rural Health Care Telecommunications (Telecom) Program
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Data for Rural Analysis
A collection of resources to help policymakers and researchers identify and describe rural and urban areas. Lists tools that can be used to determine rural status and degree of rurality and find county-level socioeconomic data. Also identifies other sources of rural data.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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A collection of resources to help policymakers and researchers identify and describe rural and urban areas. Lists tools that can be used to determine rural status and degree of rurality and find county-level socioeconomic data. Also identifies other sources of rural data.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Delineating Rural Areas in the United States
A poster presentation identifying the common federal rural definitions useful for addressing rural-urban disparities. Demonstrates, by using population characteristics including poverty, uninsured, and disabled data, how each rural definition can affect the sensitivity of the disparity.
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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A poster presentation identifying the common federal rural definitions useful for addressing rural-urban disparities. Demonstrates, by using population characteristics including poverty, uninsured, and disabled data, how each rural definition can affect the sensitivity of the disparity.
Sponsoring organization: North Carolina Rural Health Research Program
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What Is a Rural Hospital?
Explains the different definitions of rural and how they impact the number of hospitals in Texas considered rural.
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
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Explains the different definitions of rural and how they impact the number of hospitals in Texas considered rural.
Sponsoring organization: Texas Organization of Rural & Community Hospitals
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Urban Influence Codes: Documentation
Explains the 9 categories of rural/urban classification included in the 2024 Urban Influence Codes from the Economic Research Service, which are used to categorize counties and county equivalents in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Includes a table showing population estimates and the number of counties in each category using 2020 Census data.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Explains the 9 categories of rural/urban classification included in the 2024 Urban Influence Codes from the Economic Research Service, which are used to categorize counties and county equivalents in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Includes a table showing population estimates and the number of counties in each category using 2020 Census data.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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2010 Census Urban and Rural Classification and Urban Area Criteria
Explains the U.S. Census Bureau's classification of rural and urban areas for the 2010 Census. Features tables comparing 2000 and 2010 Census data for rural and urban areas, including Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters. Offers links to data files which provide the percent rural/urban by state and county for 2010.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Explains the U.S. Census Bureau's classification of rural and urban areas for the 2010 Census. Features tables comparing 2000 and 2010 Census data for rural and urban areas, including Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters. Offers links to data files which provide the percent rural/urban by state and county for 2010.
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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How We Define Rural
Explains the major federal government definitions of rural and how they are used by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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Explains the major federal government definitions of rural and how they are used by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP).
Sponsoring organization: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy
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NCHS Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties
Provides information on a six-level urban-rural classification scheme for U.S. counties and county-equivalent entities developed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Includes access to data files and reports describing the classification scheme.
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides information on a six-level urban-rural classification scheme for U.S. counties and county-equivalent entities developed by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Includes access to data files and reports describing the classification scheme.
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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