Pennsylvania covers 44,817 square miles, with a 2019 estimated population of 12,801,989 people – 1,446,887 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 2019 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 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

According to data.HRSA.gov, as of April 2021 Pennsylvania had:

• 16 Critical Access Hospitals
• 70 Rural Health Clinics
• 99 Federally Qualified Health Center sites located outside of Urbanized Areas
• 35 short term hospitals located outside of Urbanized Areas

Selected Social Determinants of Health for Rural Pennsylvania

5.7% of Pennsylvania residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2019). According to the USDA Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for Pennsylvania residents in 2019 was $58,032, with the rural per capita income at $43,582. The ERS reports, based on 2019 ACS data, that the poverty rate in rural Pennsylvania is 12.8%, compared with 12.1% in urban areas of the state. 11.0% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 9.3% of the urban population lacks a high school diploma according to 2015-2019 ACS data reported by ERS. The 2015 unemployment rate in rural Pennsylvania is 5.0%, while in urban Pennsylvania it is 4.3% (USDA-ERS 2019).

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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