Massachusetts

State Office of Rural Health

Massachusetts Office of Rural Health

Phone: 508.792.7880 Ext. 2172
Email: Cathleen.mcelligott@state.ma.us

A component of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health which collects and disseminates information on rural health; coordinates resources and activities within rural communities; provides technical assistance for planning and development; strengthens local, state, and federal partnerships; and administers the Massachusetts Rural Hospital Flex and the SHIP programs.
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Massachusetts Nonmetro Population

6,873,003

Estimated population

28,642 (0.4%)

People living in nonmetro areas

Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020 estimate

Massachusetts Rural Healthcare Facilities

3

Critical Access Hospitals

7

Rural Health Clinics

15

Federally Qualified Health Centers*

4

Short Term/PPS Hospitals*

*Sites according to data.HRSA.gov (July 2023), 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 Massachusetts

2.4% of Massachusetts residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2022). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Massachusetts residents in 2021 was $83,653, with the rural per capita income at $73,151. The ERS reports, based on 2021 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Massachusetts is 9.4%, compared with 10.4% in urban areas of the state. 5.6% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 8.9% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Massachusetts is at 4.1%, while in urban Massachusetts it is at 3.8% (USDA-ERS, 2022).