Pennsylvania covers 44,817 square miles, with a 2021 estimated population of 12,964,056 people – 1,434,627 of which live in rural Pennsylvania (USDA-ERS). Harrisburg is the state capital. The state's largest cities are Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown. According to 2021 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 81.6% of the state's population is white, 12.0% is African-American, 3.8% is Asian, 0.4% is American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.1% is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 7.8% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.

Pennsylvania Rural Healthcare Facilities

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Pennsylvania

5.5% of Pennsylvania residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2020). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Pennsylvania residents in 2020 was $61,700, with the rural per capita income at $47,202. The ERS reports, based on 2020 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Pennsylvania is 12.2%, compared with 10.7% in urban areas of the state. 10.5% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 8.8% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2016-2020 ACS data reported by ERS. The unemployment rate in rural Pennsylvania is 6.6%, while in urban Pennsylvania it is 6.3% (USDA-ERS 2021).

Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health
Phone: 814.863.8214
Email: porh@psu.edu
Works to improve the health of rural communities and their residents by compiling, analyzing, and disseminating information to policy makers. Also works to encourage partnerships and identify opportunities for collaboration and cooperation.
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