Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
Urban and Rural Hospital Closures in Georgia, 2022-2024
Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study examining postclosure changes in discharge volume, charges, and length of stay at hospitals within 35 miles of a hospital closure in Georgia from 2022-2024. Includes statistics on characteristics of discharges from hospitals that remained open, as well as outcomes associated with a closure, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Sara D. Turbow, Kajal Patel, Young-Rock Hong, Jennifer Lom, Mohammed K. Ali
Citation: JAMA Network Open, 9(9), e2635085
Date: 09/2026
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Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, July-December 2025
Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Provides data on households that rely on wireless telephones rather than landlines. Includes data on the percent of adults who live in wireless-only households and have their own wireless telephone, as well as data on phoneless adults. Provides data for nonmetropolitan compared to metropolitan areas.
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Transportation Walking Among US Adults With and Without Transportation Insecurity, 2022 National Health Interview Survey
Reports on a study describing transportation walking among adults with and without transportation insecurity, using data on 25,889 adults. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Graycie Soto, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Jasmine Y. Nakayama, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Reports on a study describing transportation walking among adults with and without transportation insecurity, using data on 25,889 adults. Features demographics and statistics with breakdowns by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas.
Author(s): Graycie Soto, Miriam E. Van Dyke, Jasmine Y. Nakayama, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Rural–Urban and Appalachian Disparities in Geographic Access to Colonoscopy and Screening Prevalence Across the Contiguous US
Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Results of a study comparing access to colonoscopy providers. Features statistics on diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and screening procedures, with breakdowns by rural and urban areas and Appalachian and non-Appalachian areas and by type of colonoscopy provider.
Author(s): Sima Namin, R. Eric Heidel, Martin Whiteside, et al.
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 09/2026
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Income in the United States: 2025
Reports on pre-tax money income and post-tax income levels for 2024 and 2025, along with the percent change from 2024 to 2025. Separate tables include statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2026 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Additional links: Table 1: Income Summary (Excel), Table 3: Post-Tax Household Income Summary (Excel), Table 4: Money Income and Post-Tax Income (Excel)
Author(s): Melissa Kollar, Zach Scherer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Reports on pre-tax money income and post-tax income levels for 2024 and 2025, along with the percent change from 2024 to 2025. Separate tables include statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2026 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Additional links: Table 1: Income Summary (Excel), Table 3: Post-Tax Household Income Summary (Excel), Table 4: Money Income and Post-Tax Income (Excel)
Author(s): Melissa Kollar, Zach Scherer
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Poverty in the United States: 2025
Reports on poverty rates for 2024 and 2025, including changes in the official poverty measure rate and changes in the Supplemental Poverty Measure rate. Separate tables include statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2026 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Additional links: Table 1: Official Poverty Measure (Excel), Table 4: Supplemental Poverty Measure (Excel), Table 7: Comparison of Official and Supplemental Poverty Measures (Excel)
Author(s): Christina Bijou, Emily A. Shrider
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Reports on poverty rates for 2024 and 2025, including changes in the official poverty measure rate and changes in the Supplemental Poverty Measure rate. Separate tables include statistics for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. Based on data from the 2026 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Additional links: Table 1: Official Poverty Measure (Excel), Table 4: Supplemental Poverty Measure (Excel), Table 7: Comparison of Official and Supplemental Poverty Measures (Excel)
Author(s): Christina Bijou, Emily A. Shrider
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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The Quiet Driver of Rural Minnesota's Population Trends: It's Not Just Migration
Examines factors impacting population changes in Minnesota such as births, deaths, and migration trends. Provides comparisons of population changes from 2001 to 2025 across entirely urban, urban/town/rural mix, town/rural mix, and entirely rural locations.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Examines factors impacting population changes in Minnesota such as births, deaths, and migration trends. Provides comparisons of population changes from 2001 to 2025 across entirely urban, urban/town/rural mix, town/rural mix, and entirely rural locations.
Author(s): Kelly Asche
Date: 09/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Policy and Development
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Cancer Survival Differences Between Rural and Urban Populations During the Opioid Epidemic: A SEER Analysis
Explores how rural and urban cancer survival changed over time during the U.S. opioid epidemic, and how rural cancer survival disparities were associated with increasing drug mortality during the same period. Utilizes 2000-2016 SEER and CDC WONDER data.
Author(s): Martin G. Bouldo, Daniel J. Becker
Citation: Anticancer Research, 46(9), 4973-4984
Date: 09/2026
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Explores how rural and urban cancer survival changed over time during the U.S. opioid epidemic, and how rural cancer survival disparities were associated with increasing drug mortality during the same period. Utilizes 2000-2016 SEER and CDC WONDER data.
Author(s): Martin G. Bouldo, Daniel J. Becker
Citation: Anticancer Research, 46(9), 4973-4984
Date: 09/2026
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Outpatient Care Fragmentation and Patient Satisfaction With Care
Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Examines the relationship between outpatient care fragmentation and Medicare patient satisfaction. Utilizes 2020-2022 survey data from 2,294 Medicare beneficiaries to analyze physician and practice-level fragmentation alongside patient satisfaction, measured by perceived accessibility, communication, coordination, and quality as experienced by rural, suburban, and urban Medicare populations.
Author(s): Isabella Ratto, Neelam Ahmed, Mengyuan Chen, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70220
Date: 09/2026
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Risk Factors for Loss of Hospital-Based Obstetric Care in Rural and Urban Hospitals
Examines factors associated with loss of obstetric services in hospitals. Analyzes 3,108 rural and urban hospitals in 2010 and then again in 2023 to observe rates of unit or hospital closure. Includes breakdown of hospital characteristics such as distance to nearest obstetric hospital, birth volume, hospital ownership, county unemployment, and more.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263122
Date: 09/2026
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Examines factors associated with loss of obstetric services in hospitals. Analyzes 3,108 rural and urban hospitals in 2010 and then again in 2023 to observe rates of unit or hospital closure. Includes breakdown of hospital characteristics such as distance to nearest obstetric hospital, birth volume, hospital ownership, county unemployment, and more.
Author(s): Julia D. Interrante, Caitlin Carroll, Kevan O'Hanlon, Emily C. Sheffield, Katy B. Kozhimannil
Citation: JAMA Health Forum, 7(9), e263122
Date: 09/2026
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