Connecticut covers 4,842 square miles, with a 2019 estimated population of 3,565,287 people – 180,333 living in rural areas (USDA-ERS). According to 2019 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 79.7% of the state's population is white, 12.2% is African-American, 5.0% is Asian, 0.6% is American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 16.9% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Connecticut Rural Healthcare Facilities

According to data.HRSA.gov, as of January 2021 Connecticut had:

• No Critical Access Hospitals
• No Rural Health Clinics
• 12 Federally Qualified Health Center sites located outside of Urbanized Areas
• 3 short term hospitals located outside of Urbanized Areas

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Connecticut

5.9% of Connecticut residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2019). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for residents of Connecticut in 2019 was $77,289, with the rural per capita income at $65,458. The ERS reports, based on 2019 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Connecticut is 7.1%, compared with 10.1% in urban areas of the state. 7.0% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 9.5% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2015-2019 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Connecticut is at 3.5%, while in urban Connecticut it is at 3.7% (USDA-ERS, 2019).

Connecticut State Office of Rural Health
Phone: 860.738.6378
Offers a services and activities to improve healthcare access for rural residents in Connecticut. Provides technical assistance for local and regional rural health initiatives. Works to build collaboration and networks between community members, healthcare providers, and other organizations to leverage resources and improve rural health in the state.
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