Social Determinants of Health for Rural People – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on Social Determinants of Health for Rural People.
Rebuilding the Unity of Health and the Environment in Rural America: Workshop Summary
Covers rural environmental health, including the social, the natural, and the built environment. Report on a regional workshop at the University of Iowa on November 29-30, 2004 addressing rural environmental health issues.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2006
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Covers rural environmental health, including the social, the natural, and the built environment. Report on a regional workshop at the University of Iowa on November 29-30, 2004 addressing rural environmental health issues.
Additional links: Read Online
Date: 2006
Sponsoring organization: Health and Medicine Division (HMD), National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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Rural Data Central
Provides rural-focused data on population demographics, social characteristics, economic characteristics, housing and loans, and federal housing assistance. Includes interactive maps that present data at the national, state, county, census tract, congressional district, and tribal tract levels, as well as by small town and rural, suburban and exurban, urban, or all areas. Requires users to create a free profile and sign in to access data.
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Provides rural-focused data on population demographics, social characteristics, economic characteristics, housing and loans, and federal housing assistance. Includes interactive maps that present data at the national, state, county, census tract, congressional district, and tribal tract levels, as well as by small town and rural, suburban and exurban, urban, or all areas. Requires users to create a free profile and sign in to access data.
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
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Child and Youth Homelessness Data Profiles
Provides state, county, and school district data profiles of child and youth homelessness in the United States. Includes data breakdowns according to age of homeless youth, homelessness funding, chronic absenteeism, and rates of homelessness in special populations, such as rural, youth on their own, and special education students.
Sponsoring organizations: Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, SchoolHouse Connection
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Provides state, county, and school district data profiles of child and youth homelessness in the United States. Includes data breakdowns according to age of homeless youth, homelessness funding, chronic absenteeism, and rates of homelessness in special populations, such as rural, youth on their own, and special education students.
Sponsoring organizations: Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan, SchoolHouse Connection
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High Need Mapping Tool
Interactive map highlighting various social determinants of health indices with Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center and grants data. Data can be viewed by HRSA Region or county.
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Interactive map highlighting various social determinants of health indices with Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center and grants data. Data can be viewed by HRSA Region or county.
Sponsoring organization: Health Resources and Services Administration
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Populations at Risk
Tool offering downloadable socioeconomic reports covering age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, language proficiency, poverty, assistance programs, employment, and housing. Includes ability to compare locations by census tract, city, county, state, tribal, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas.
Sponsoring organization: Headwaters Economics
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Tool offering downloadable socioeconomic reports covering age, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, language proficiency, poverty, assistance programs, employment, and housing. Includes ability to compare locations by census tract, city, county, state, tribal, metropolitan, and nonmetropolitan areas.
Sponsoring organization: Headwaters Economics
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Pathways to Equity Rural Health Roadmap
Outlines a roadmap for rural health organizations to improve health equity in their communities. Includes guidance on building trust, forming a health equity team, assessing health risks, developing strategies and collaborations, and taking action.
Sponsoring organization: Pathways to Public Health Equity
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Outlines a roadmap for rural health organizations to improve health equity in their communities. Includes guidance on building trust, forming a health equity team, assessing health risks, developing strategies and collaborations, and taking action.
Sponsoring organization: Pathways to Public Health Equity
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The U.S. Climate Vulnerability Index
Interactive map of 184 indicators identifying climate vulnerability in health, social determinants of health, environment, and infrastructure at the state, county, and census tract levels.
Sponsoring organizations: Darkhorse Analytics, Environmental Defense Fund, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University
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Interactive map of 184 indicators identifying climate vulnerability in health, social determinants of health, environment, and infrastructure at the state, county, and census tract levels.
Sponsoring organizations: Darkhorse Analytics, Environmental Defense Fund, Texas A&M Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University
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ClimaWATCH (Climate and Weather Analytics, Trends, and Community Health)
Examines the impact of heat waves, based on data from Medicaid beneficiaries on healthcare utilization and spending. Includes information at the national, state, and county levels. Offers interactive maps and charts that show heat waves, excess healthcare use and spending due to heat, and more. Identifies communities most affected by heat waves using different metrics.
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
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Examines the impact of heat waves, based on data from Medicaid beneficiaries on healthcare utilization and spending. Includes information at the national, state, and county levels. Offers interactive maps and charts that show heat waves, excess healthcare use and spending due to heat, and more. Identifies communities most affected by heat waves using different metrics.
Sponsoring organization: Mathematica
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SparkMap's Community Assessment Tool
Allows user to select data indicators such as demographics, economics, housing, education, health behaviors and indicators, healthcare workforce, and more by state and county to create a community assessment report. Utilizes data from multiple geographical levels and housed with the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Transportation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sponsoring organization: Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems
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Allows user to select data indicators such as demographics, economics, housing, education, health behaviors and indicators, healthcare workforce, and more by state and county to create a community assessment report. Utilizes data from multiple geographical levels and housed with the US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Transportation, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sponsoring organization: Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems
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Poverty Area Measures
Provides access to poverty area measures for counties and census tracts covering high poverty, extreme poverty, persistent poverty, and enduring poverty. Includes Decennial Census data for 1960 (county) or 1970 (census tract) through 2000 and for American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year periods of 2007-11, 2017-21, 2018-2022, and 2019-2023. Available in spreadsheet format.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Provides access to poverty area measures for counties and census tracts covering high poverty, extreme poverty, persistent poverty, and enduring poverty. Includes Decennial Census data for 1960 (county) or 1970 (census tract) through 2000 and for American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year periods of 2007-11, 2017-21, 2018-2022, and 2019-2023. Available in spreadsheet format.
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Additional resources are available related to this guide. See the full list of resources by topic for:
- Educational attainment
- Employment and unemployment
- Environmental health
- Health literacy
- Housing and homelessness
- Income
- Infrastructure
- Poverty
- Social determinants of health
Last Updated: 8/14/2025