Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Rural definitions
Nearly 90 Percent of U.S. Census Tracts Are Level or Nearly Level
Map of the United States showing census tracts by topographic ruggedness using a 6-point scale ranging from level to extremely rugged.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Map of the United States showing census tracts by topographic ruggedness using a 6-point scale ranging from level to extremely rugged.
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Defining Veteran Rurality: An Analysis of the U.S. Veterans Health Administration Rural–Urban Taxonomy
Examines the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) "Categorization B" rural–urban taxonomies and changes to drive time estimates to VHA care as determined by these taxonomies. Analyzes drive time across RUCA codes, Categorization B designation, and VHA designation. Discusses VHA rural and highly rural designations and the importance of aligning rural definitions to the VHA's access-to-care priorities.
Author(s): Diana J. Govier, Travis I. Lovejoy, Sarah S. Ono, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70182
Date: 07/2026
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Examines the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) "Categorization B" rural–urban taxonomies and changes to drive time estimates to VHA care as determined by these taxonomies. Analyzes drive time across RUCA codes, Categorization B designation, and VHA designation. Discusses VHA rural and highly rural designations and the importance of aligning rural definitions to the VHA's access-to-care priorities.
Author(s): Diana J. Govier, Travis I. Lovejoy, Sarah S. Ono, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(3), e70182
Date: 07/2026
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Rural Lending and the Need for Expanded Access to Credit: Evaluating and Expanded Threshold for Defining Rurality
Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
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Explores how access to credit differs by level of rurality, and discusses how federal rural definitions influence rural lending and finance. Includes data on housing supply, distance to maternal care, access to rural school districts, and other housing and financial metrics.
Author(s): Ani Katchova, Alexander Ryan, Micah Mensing
Date: 07/2026
Sponsoring organization: The Ohio State University
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Challenges Associated With Rural-Urban Stratification for Generalizing Birth Outcomes: Insights From the ECHO Cohort
Analyzes the validity of preterm birth (PTB) prevalence and generalizability related to rural versus urban stratification within the Environmental influences on Child health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort. Examines PTB prevalence during the 2017-2019 and 2020-2022 ECHO cohorts as compared to county-level PTB prevalence from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), further broken down by rural versus urban location and demographic variables. Discusses similarities and differences in PTB prevalence proportions using ECHO versus NCHS and the importance of further context when defining rural places.
Author(s): Daniel Beene, Debra A. MacKenzie, Carlos A. Camargo Jr., et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70163
Date: 05/2026
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Analyzes the validity of preterm birth (PTB) prevalence and generalizability related to rural versus urban stratification within the Environmental influences on Child health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort. Examines PTB prevalence during the 2017-2019 and 2020-2022 ECHO cohorts as compared to county-level PTB prevalence from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), further broken down by rural versus urban location and demographic variables. Discusses similarities and differences in PTB prevalence proportions using ECHO versus NCHS and the importance of further context when defining rural places.
Author(s): Daniel Beene, Debra A. MacKenzie, Carlos A. Camargo Jr., et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(2), e70163
Date: 05/2026
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Exploring Definitions of "Rural"
Provides an overview of common definitions of rurality used by federal agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), USDA, and National Center for Health Statistics, as well as the Center for Rural Innovation's own definition. Includes color-coded maps demonstrating how each definition is applied.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
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Provides an overview of common definitions of rurality used by federal agencies, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), USDA, and National Center for Health Statistics, as well as the Center for Rural Innovation's own definition. Includes color-coded maps demonstrating how each definition is applied.
Date: 05/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center on Rural Innovation
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Using Rural-Urban Variables: Considerations for Rural Public Health Research
A tip sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discussing best practices for using rural and urban variables in public health studies. Discusses rural definitions, differences in rural communities, including rural communities in interpretation, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: CDC Office of Rural Health
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A tip sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discussing best practices for using rural and urban variables in public health studies. Discusses rural definitions, differences in rural communities, including rural communities in interpretation, and more.
Date: 02/2026
Sponsoring organization: CDC Office of Rural Health
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Federal Rural Definitions
Webinar recording featuring speakers from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) discussing how FORHP compiles information from various federal agencies to identify and define rural areas in the U.S. for rural health grant program eligibility. Highlights changes to rural areas, as identified by FORHP with their September 2025 data release.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Webinar recording featuring speakers from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) discussing how FORHP compiles information from various federal agencies to identify and define rural areas in the U.S. for rural health grant program eligibility. Highlights changes to rural areas, as identified by FORHP with their September 2025 data release.
Additional links: Audio Recording, Webinar Slides
Date: 01/2026
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Evidence Matters: Transforming Knowledge into Housing and Community Development Policy - Rural Housing
Examines housing challenges in rural areas such as affordability, structural inadequacy, homelessness, aging in place, and disaster response and recovery. Discusses the importance of defining rural as well as local, state, and federal policy and initiatives that address rural housing issues.
Author(s): Gretchen Armstrong, Amanda Gold, Sage Computing
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Examines housing challenges in rural areas such as affordability, structural inadequacy, homelessness, aging in place, and disaster response and recovery. Discusses the importance of defining rural as well as local, state, and federal policy and initiatives that address rural housing issues.
Author(s): Gretchen Armstrong, Amanda Gold, Sage Computing
Date: 2026
Sponsoring organization: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
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Multidimensional Approaches to Ranking State-Level Rurality to Enhance Comparisons Across States
Provides a rurality index for all 50 U.S. states, utilizing measures of rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. Discusses the need for a multidimensional measure of rurality to provide an accurate tool for health policy research.
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, Nari Yoo
Citation: The Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population and Health Policy
Date: 12/2025
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Provides a rurality index for all 50 U.S. states, utilizing measures of rural population percentage, rural land area percentage, and rural population density. Discusses the need for a multidimensional measure of rurality to provide an accurate tool for health policy research.
Author(s): Daniel Baslock, Nari Yoo
Citation: The Milbank Quarterly: A Multidisciplinary Journal of Population and Health Policy
Date: 12/2025
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Characterizing Rurality Using the All of Us Research Program Data
Provides a definition of rurality utilizing a 3-digit ZIP code-level scale. Applies definition to the All of Us Research Program to analyze rural healthcare issues such as access, delayed care, and affordability. Includes the definition's methodology and a U.S. map showcasing distribution of 3-digit ZIP codes according to rurality.
Author(s): Michael Bradfield, Toluwanimi Olorunnisola, Vignesh Subbian
Citation: PLoS One, 20(12), e0328958
Date: 12/2025
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Provides a definition of rurality utilizing a 3-digit ZIP code-level scale. Applies definition to the All of Us Research Program to analyze rural healthcare issues such as access, delayed care, and affordability. Includes the definition's methodology and a U.S. map showcasing distribution of 3-digit ZIP codes according to rurality.
Author(s): Michael Bradfield, Toluwanimi Olorunnisola, Vignesh Subbian
Citation: PLoS One, 20(12), e0328958
Date: 12/2025
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