What is Rural? – Resources
Selected recent or important resources focusing on What is Rural?.
Core Based Statistical Areas
Provides an overview of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Identifies key terms related to CBSAs, including central counties, metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, outlying counties, and more. Includes information on revisions and updates to CBSAs, relevant legislation, and issues of interest for Congress.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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Provides an overview of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs). Identifies key terms related to CBSAs, including central counties, metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas, outlying counties, and more. Includes information on revisions and updates to CBSAs, relevant legislation, and issues of interest for Congress.
Date: 07/2024
Sponsoring organization: Congressional Research Service
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'Rurality' of Nonmetropolitan Counties Varies Across Regions
Presents a map of metro and nonmetro counties based on the 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Breaks down the counties on a nine-level scale of rurality.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Presents a map of metro and nonmetro counties based on the 2023 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Breaks down the counties on a nine-level scale of rurality.
Date: 04/2024
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Defining "Rural" and Utilizing VA Data Sources to Improve Rural Veterans Access to Care
Webinar recording discussing federal rural designations, how rural is defined by the Office of Rural Health in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and using VHA data sources.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organizations: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development, Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Webinar recording discussing federal rural designations, how rural is defined by the Office of Rural Health in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), and using VHA data sources.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organizations: VA Health Systems Research, Office of Research & Development, Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico
Map of the United States displaying metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas by county using data from the Office and Management and Budget (OMB). Uses metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas as defined by OMB as of July 2023.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Map of the United States displaying metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas by county using data from the Office and Management and Budget (OMB). Uses metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas as defined by OMB as of July 2023.
Date: 03/2024
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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In Search of Rural: How Varying Definitions Shape Housing Research
Describes the effect of rural definitions on rural housing research. Categorizes rural definitions by type, and compares data produced by applying 11 rural definitions to 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Discusses definition impacts on estimated rural demographics and housing stock, characteristics, and challenges. Includes state-by-state estimates of rural population share for each definition.
Author(s): Alexander Hermann, Whitney Airgood-Obrycki
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS)
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Describes the effect of rural definitions on rural housing research. Categorizes rural definitions by type, and compares data produced by applying 11 rural definitions to 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Discusses definition impacts on estimated rural demographics and housing stock, characteristics, and challenges. Includes state-by-state estimates of rural population share for each definition.
Author(s): Alexander Hermann, Whitney Airgood-Obrycki
Date: 02/2024
Sponsoring organization: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University (JCHS)
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How Rural Is All of Us? Comparing Characteristics of Rural Participants in the National Institute of Health's All of Us Research Program to Other National Data Sources
Compares the All of Us health research dataset that utilizes self-reported rurality to other nationally representative data sources that represent rurality. Discusses implications of using the All for Us dataset as a proxy measure of rurality in health research.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Shawna R. Beese, Demetrius A. Abshire, Kevin J. Bennett
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 745-751
Date: 2024
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Compares the All of Us health research dataset that utilizes self-reported rurality to other nationally representative data sources that represent rurality. Discusses implications of using the All for Us dataset as a proxy measure of rurality in health research.
Author(s): Janessa M. Graves, Shawna R. Beese, Demetrius A. Abshire, Kevin J. Bennett
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 40(4), 745-751
Date: 2024
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Fact Sheet: How to Define Rurality
Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Fact sheet defines rural in the context of the Veterans Health Administration. Discusses RUCA codes, Census tracts, and how the VA assigns rurality.
Date: 12/2023
Sponsoring organization: Veterans Health Administration's Office of Rural Health
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Development of the Rural Perception Scale (RPS-18)
Examines perceptions of rurality through a survey of 1,384 people in rural Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Provides data breakdowns by geography of 18 perceptions related to belonging, attitudes toward rurality, loneliness, and community social ties. Discusses the relationship between individual factors, the concept of rurality, and geographically defined versus perceived rurality.
Author(s): Sunny Jung Kim, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Jenna E. Schiffelbein, Tracy Onega
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 348-367
Date: 09/2023
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Examines perceptions of rurality through a survey of 1,384 people in rural Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Provides data breakdowns by geography of 18 perceptions related to belonging, attitudes toward rurality, loneliness, and community social ties. Discusses the relationship between individual factors, the concept of rurality, and geographically defined versus perceived rurality.
Author(s): Sunny Jung Kim, Jennifer Alford-Teaster, Jenna E. Schiffelbein, Tracy Onega
Citation: The Journal of Rural Health, 40(2), 348-367
Date: 09/2023
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2020 Census: Urban Areas of the United States and Puerto Rico
Wall map showing and labeling urban areas in the United States and Puerto Rico. Utilizes 2020 Census urban area criteria, which define rural or urban areas utilizing census block data.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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Wall map showing and labeling urban areas in the United States and Puerto Rico. Utilizes 2020 Census urban area criteria, which define rural or urban areas utilizing census block data.
Date: 08/2023
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Census Bureau
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OMB Bulletin No. 23-01, Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas
Outlines the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, and Metropolitan Division – collectively called Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) – for the United States and Puerto Rico. Reflects the 2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in July 2021 and the application of those standards to Census population and journey-to-work data, including the 2020 Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and Census Population Estimates Program data. Also provides guidance on the use of these delineations.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Management and Budget
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Outlines the Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, Combined Statistical Areas, and Metropolitan Division – collectively called Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) – for the United States and Puerto Rico. Reflects the 2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in July 2021 and the application of those standards to Census population and journey-to-work data, including the 2020 Decennial Census, American Community Survey, and Census Population Estimates Program data. Also provides guidance on the use of these delineations.
Date: 07/2023
Sponsoring organization: Office of Management and Budget
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Last Updated: 11/19/2025