Ohio covers 40,948 square miles, with a 2019 estimated population of 11,689,100 people – 2,347,371 living in rural areas (USDA-ERS). Columbus, the capital, is located in the central part of the state. The state's largest cities are Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati. According to 2019 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 81.7% of the state's population is white, 13.1% is African-American, 2.5% is Asian, 0.3% is American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 4.0% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Ohio Rural Healthcare Facilities

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

• 33 Critical Access Hospitals
• 56 Rural Health Clinics
• 146 Federally Qualified Health Center sites located outside of Urbanized Areas
• 48 short term hospitals located outside of Urbanized Areas

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Ohio

6.7% of the Ohio residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2019). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Ohioans in 2019 was $50,199, with the rural per capita income at $42,891. The ERS reports, based on 2019 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Ohio is 12.8%, compared with 13.0% in urban areas of the state. 11.9% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 9.0% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2015-2019 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Ohio is 4.4%, while in urban Ohio it is at 4.0% (USDA-ERS, 2019).

Ohio State Office of Rural Health
Phone: 614.466.8508
Email: HealthPolicy@odh.ohio.gov
Works to strengthen rural healthcare delivery systems across Ohio. Coordinates rural health initiatives statewide by collecting rural health information, coordinating resources, providing technical assistance, and encouraging recruitment and retention.
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