Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural-urban differences
As Rural Populations Grow Older, Communities Increasingly Rely on Smaller Labor Force
Reports on rural-urban differences in labor force availability and age dependency ratios caused by the growing demographic share of older people in the U.S. Breaks down data by county-level rurality, and discusses rural infrastructure, healthcare, and caregiving needs.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Reports on rural-urban differences in labor force availability and age dependency ratios caused by the growing demographic share of older people in the U.S. Breaks down data by county-level rurality, and discusses rural infrastructure, healthcare, and caregiving needs.
Author(s): Richelle L. Winkler
Citation: Amber Waves
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Counties Most Reliant on Farming Tend to be Located in Center of the Country
Color-coded map highlighting counties with high farming concentration as of 2025. Distinguishes between rural and urban high farming-concentration counties.
Author(s): Austin Sanders
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Color-coded map highlighting counties with high farming concentration as of 2025. Distinguishes between rural and urban high farming-concentration counties.
Author(s): Austin Sanders
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Rural Access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)
Examines access to, and services offered by, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in rural and urban communities. Also compares services at CCBHCs with those offered at other mental health clinics. Features state-level maps showing CCBHC counts by state, and statistics on services counts in CCBHCs and other mental health facilities, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey Talbert
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Examines access to, and services offered by, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) in rural and urban communities. Also compares services at CCBHCs with those offered at other mental health clinics. Features state-level maps showing CCBHC counts by state, and statistics on services counts in CCBHCs and other mental health facilities, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas.
Author(s): Aaron P. Smith, Jeffrey Talbert
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Rural and Urban Differences in Suicide in the United States, 2018-2021
Highlights the rates of suicide across the U.S. from 2018-2021 in rural and urban areas. Discusses some of the geographic and demographic characteristics that correlate with higher rates of suicide. Breaks down data by year, demographics, Census and HHS regions, and rural versus urban location. Makes policy recommendations based on the report's findings.
Author(s): Qian Huang, Nicole Galler, Michael Meit, Amy Wahlquist
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Highlights the rates of suicide across the U.S. from 2018-2021 in rural and urban areas. Discusses some of the geographic and demographic characteristics that correlate with higher rates of suicide. Breaks down data by year, demographics, Census and HHS regions, and rural versus urban location. Makes policy recommendations based on the report's findings.
Author(s): Qian Huang, Nicole Galler, Michael Meit, Amy Wahlquist
Date: 05/2025
Sponsoring organization: ETSU/NORC Rural Health Research Center
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Moving the Needle: Challenges in Meeting Nevada's Health Workforce Needs
Describes the state of Nevada's health workforce, including its distribution, factors influencing supply and demand, shortage area designations, and policy approaches to addressing shortages. Includes data and discussion of rural areas.
Author(s): Pierron Tackes, John Packham
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities
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Describes the state of Nevada's health workforce, including its distribution, factors influencing supply and demand, shortage area designations, and policy approaches to addressing shortages. Includes data and discussion of rural areas.
Author(s): Pierron Tackes, John Packham
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities
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Maine Healthy Aging Data Report: Highlights from 2025
Reports on the demographics, health, and strengths and vulnerabilities of Maine's older adult population, with pages 13-18 providing rural, urban, and suburban community health comparison data. See related maps and community profiles for additional data on a variety of health conditions and factors influencing health.
Additional links: Supporting materials
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Point32Health Foundation
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Reports on the demographics, health, and strengths and vulnerabilities of Maine's older adult population, with pages 13-18 providing rural, urban, and suburban community health comparison data. See related maps and community profiles for additional data on a variety of health conditions and factors influencing health.
Additional links: Supporting materials
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Point32Health Foundation
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Rural–Urban Disparities in Cancer Care—Analyzing Routinely Collected Patient‐Reported Outcomes. A Cross‐Sectional Study
Compares rural and urban patient-reported outcomes related to anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, and physical function among 7,271 cancer patients who received treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute between 2016 and 2019. Includes data breakdowns by rural or urban status, including comparisons by specific cancer types.
Author(s): Dominik J. Ose, Bayarmaa Mark, Krista Ocier, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 14(8), e70437
Date: 04/2025
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Compares rural and urban patient-reported outcomes related to anxiety, depression, fatigue, pain interference, and physical function among 7,271 cancer patients who received treatment at the Huntsman Cancer Institute between 2016 and 2019. Includes data breakdowns by rural or urban status, including comparisons by specific cancer types.
Author(s): Dominik J. Ose, Bayarmaa Mark, Krista Ocier, et al.
Citation: Cancer Medicine, 14(8), e70437
Date: 04/2025
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How Does Cost Affect Access to Healthcare?
Explores trends in how costs affect access to healthcare using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) through 2023. Covers the percentage of adults who delayed or went without care due to cost, including insulin users who rationed insulin due to costs. Presents data by income level, health status, insurance status, and urban/rural residence.
Author(s): Shameek Rakshit, Matthew McGough, Lynne Cotter, Gary Claxton
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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Explores trends in how costs affect access to healthcare using data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) through 2023. Covers the percentage of adults who delayed or went without care due to cost, including insulin users who rationed insulin due to costs. Presents data by income level, health status, insurance status, and urban/rural residence.
Author(s): Shameek Rakshit, Matthew McGough, Lynne Cotter, Gary Claxton
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organizations: KFF, Peterson Center on Healthcare
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Changes in the Availability of Inpatient Psychiatric Beds Across Rural and Urban Areas, 2012-2021
Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Policy brief describing numbers of Critical Access Hospitals and rural Prospective Payment System (PPS) hospitals providing inpatient psychiatric care, and comparing these to urban PPS hospitals. Also examines psychiatric unit closure rates and the effect on access to behavioral health services in rural areas.
Author(s): John Gale, Zachariah T. Croll, Jamar Croom, Yvonne Jonk
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Maine Rural Health Research Center
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Severe Maternal Morbidity in Tennessee, 2018-2022
Focuses on severe maternal morbidity (SMM) occurring during hospitalizations for childbirth in Tennessee, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Features statistics including SMM rates by maternal residence, with breakdowns by urban, urban adjacent, and rural counties.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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Focuses on severe maternal morbidity (SMM) occurring during hospitalizations for childbirth in Tennessee, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Features statistics including SMM rates by maternal residence, with breakdowns by urban, urban adjacent, and rural counties.
Date: 04/2025
Sponsoring organization: Tennessee Department of Health
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