Pennsylvania

State Office of Rural Health

Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health

Phone: 814.863.8214
Email: porh@psu.edu

Works to improve the health of rural communities and their residents by compiling, analyzing, and disseminating information to policy makers. Also works to encourage partnerships and identify opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.
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Pennsylvania Nonmetro Population

12,989,208

Estimated population

1,775,445 (13.7%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-year estimate

Pennsylvania Rural Healthcare Facilities

16

Critical Access Hospitals

0

Rural Emergency Hospitals

70

Rural Health Clinics

155

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

42

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2024), showing only locations outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Pennsylvania

5.4% of Pennsylvania residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Pennsylvania residents in 2021 was $64,279, with the rural per capita income at $49,903. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Pennsylvania is 12.9%, compared with 11.8% in urban areas of the state. 10.1% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 8.5% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Pennsylvania is 5.0%, while in urban Pennsylvania it is 4.3% (USDA-ERS 2022).