Skip to main content
Rural Health Information Hub

California

State Office of Rural Health

California State Office of Rural Health

Email: CalSORH@hcai.ca.gov

Collaborates with public and private entities statewide and at the regional and national levels to increase rural access to health care and to link small rural communities with state and federal resources.
view details

California Nonmetro Population

39,356,104
Estimated population
856,002 (2.2%)
People living in nonmetro areas

California Rural Healthcare Facilities

38
Critical Access Hospitals
276
Rural Health Clinics
328
Federally Qualified Health Centers*
29
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 California

Most Californians have some form of health insurance coverage, although 6.5% of its residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Californians in 2021 was $76,614, with the rural per capita income at $53,988. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural California is 15.5%, compared with 12.3% in urban areas of the state. 11.1% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 15.9% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural California is 4.6, while in urban California, it is 4.2% (USDA-ERS, 2022).

For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.


Data Sources
Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets

Contacts

There are more organizations related to California in the organizations section.


Last Reviewed: 8/31/2023