Rural Health
Resources by Topic: Statistics and data
People Living with Dementia in Rural Areas Are Most Likely to Report Unmet Service Needs in Home- and Community-based Services in the United States
Examines the relationship among home and community-based services (HCBS), dementia status, and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Core Indicators-Aging and Disability survey data to analyze 14,645 residents according to dementia status, sociodemographics, residential status and assistive care needs, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location. Discusses how location impacts access to HCBS for people living with dementia.
Author(s): Romil R. Parikh, Eric Jutkowitz, Jack M. Wolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70230
Date: 10/2026
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Examines the relationship among home and community-based services (HCBS), dementia status, and rural versus urban location. Utilizes 2016-2019 National Core Indicators-Aging and Disability survey data to analyze 14,645 residents according to dementia status, sociodemographics, residential status and assistive care needs, and metropolitan, micropolitan, small town, or rural location. Discusses how location impacts access to HCBS for people living with dementia.
Author(s): Romil R. Parikh, Eric Jutkowitz, Jack M. Wolf, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70230
Date: 10/2026
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Rural Households Use Several Kinds of Fuels for Heating Their Homes
Chart providing data on the primary heating fuel (natural gas, electric, fuel oil, propane, or wood) used by rural and urban households in 2020, using U.S. Department of Energy Residential Energy Consumption Survey data.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Chart providing data on the primary heating fuel (natural gas, electric, fuel oil, propane, or wood) used by rural and urban households in 2020, using U.S. Department of Energy Residential Energy Consumption Survey data.
Author(s): Justin B. Winikoff
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: USDA Economic Research Service
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Hospice Visit Patterns Across Patient Demographic and Clinical Characteristics
Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Examines visit patterns among Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older enrolled in hospice, to help establish or evaluate benchmark visit standards, quality measures, care delivery practices, and workforce planning. Features statistics on characteristics of Medicare hospice enrollees from 2016-2021, with breakdowns by urban, large rural, small rural, and isolated small rural location.
Author(s): Lauren J. Hunt, Joanne Spetz, Siqi Gan, et al.
Citation: Health Affairs Scholar, 4(10), qxag271
Date: 10/2026
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Women's Health in Pennsylvania
Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Provides information on demographic makeup of Pennsylvania women as of 2025. Includes statistics on number of births in Pennsylvania from 1990-2025 and number of breast cancer diagnoses in 2023, with breakdowns by urban and rural areas. Also features a county-level map with fertility rates from 2021-2025.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Center for Rural Pennsylvania
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Food Hardship and Nutrition Insecurity in Rural Areas with Access to Non-Congregate Summer Meals
Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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Examines food insecurity, food hardship, and nutrition insecurity in rural communities with access to the 2025 non-congregate summer meals option (SUN Meals To-Go). Provides data on household food hardship by income levels, nutrition insecurity by income levels, and barriers to nutrition security.
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organizations: Mathematica, No Kid Hungry
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Characteristics of Women Ages 40–60 with Menopausal Symptoms: United States, 2025
Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Offers data on women between 40 and 60 experiencing menopausal symptoms including demographics, educational attainment, treatment, and 4 levels of urbanization.
Author(s): Anjel Vahratian, Janine A. Clayton
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: National Center for Health Statistics
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Rural Versus Urban Distribution of Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Training and Associated Rural Community Characteristics
Examines location of OB/GYN residency program training sites and the community's associated sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare workforce supply. Utilizes 2023-2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data to provide a map showing OB/GYN training site distribution across the U.S. as well as 2022-2023 Area Health Resource File data to analyze healthcare access characteristics of rural communities with or without OB/GYN residency program training sites. Discusses challenges in providing rural-focused opportunities during graduate medical education (GME) rotations and the related impact on maternity care shortages.
Author(s): Ryan Spencer, Mukesh Adhikari, Lori Rodefeld, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70231
Date: 10/2026
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Examines location of OB/GYN residency program training sites and the community's associated sociodemographic characteristics and healthcare workforce supply. Utilizes 2023-2024 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) data to provide a map showing OB/GYN training site distribution across the U.S. as well as 2022-2023 Area Health Resource File data to analyze healthcare access characteristics of rural communities with or without OB/GYN residency program training sites. Discusses challenges in providing rural-focused opportunities during graduate medical education (GME) rotations and the related impact on maternity care shortages.
Author(s): Ryan Spencer, Mukesh Adhikari, Lori Rodefeld, et al.
Citation: Journal of Rural Health, 42(4), e70231
Date: 10/2026
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Clinician Discussion of Family Cancer Risk and Use of Genetic Testing Among US Adults With a Family History of Cancer
Examines clinician-patient discussion of family cancer risks and use of genetic testing among U.S. adults with a family history of cancer. Utilizes 2023 National Health Interview Survey data from 9,476 respondents to explore clinician discussion of cancer risk, with breakdowns according to demographics, access to care, rural residence, and receipt of genetic testing.
Author(s): Abe E. Sahmoun
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 10/2026
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Examines clinician-patient discussion of family cancer risks and use of genetic testing among U.S. adults with a family history of cancer. Utilizes 2023 National Health Interview Survey data from 9,476 respondents to explore clinician discussion of cancer risk, with breakdowns according to demographics, access to care, rural residence, and receipt of genetic testing.
Author(s): Abe E. Sahmoun
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 23
Date: 10/2026
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Treatable Mortality in Illinois Counties, "Them That Has, Gets"
Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Examines preventable mortality in Illinois caused by diseases that could have been treated by available medical care. Utilizes CDC Wonder data from 2018 and 2024 and provides county-level, as well as metro versus nonmetro, mortality rates and causes of death.
Author(s): Adee Athiyaman
Date: 10/2026
Sponsoring organization: Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs
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Geographic Disparities and Temporal Trends in Aggressive Prostate Cancer: A SEER Population-Based Analysis (2004–2022)
Analyzes how the incidence of all prostate cancer and aggressive or metastatic prostate cancer varies by Appalachian or non-Appalachian area, rural or urban dwelling, and race and ethnicity, using 2004-2022 SEER data of 951,965 cases of prostate cancer among men aged 40 years and older.
Author(s): Yifei Xu, Ayush Singh, Eric Li, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 181
Date: 10/2026
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Analyzes how the incidence of all prostate cancer and aggressive or metastatic prostate cancer varies by Appalachian or non-Appalachian area, rural or urban dwelling, and race and ethnicity, using 2004-2022 SEER data of 951,965 cases of prostate cancer among men aged 40 years and older.
Author(s): Yifei Xu, Ayush Singh, Eric Li, et al.
Citation: Cancer Causes & Control, 37, 181
Date: 10/2026
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