United States
The United States covers 3,533,038 square miles, with a 2022 estimated population of 333,287,557 people – 46,108,315 living in rural areas (USDA-ERS). According to 2022 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 75.5% of the nation's population is White, 13.6% is African-American, 6.3% is Asian, 1.3% is American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.3% is Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and 19.1% is of Hispanic or Latino origin.
Rural Healthcare Facilities
According to data.HRSA.gov, as of October 2024 the United States had:
- 1,366 Critical Access Hospitals
- 30 Rural Emergency Hospitals
- 5,541 Rural Health Clinics
- 5,122 Federally Qualified Health Centers located outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more
- 985 short term hospitals located outside of U.S. Census Bureau Urban Areas with a population of 50,000 or more
Selected Social Determinants of Health
Most Americans have some form of health insurance coverage, however 8.0% of the nation's residents are uninsured (Kaiser, 2022). According to the Economic Research Service, the average per capita income for all Americans in 2021 was $64,143, with the rural per capita income at $49,895. The ERS reports, based on 2021 Census Bureau data, that the poverty rate in the rural U.S. is 15.4%, compared with 12.8% nationwide. 12.5% of the rural population has not completed high school, while 11.1% across the nation lacks a high school diploma according to 2017-2021 ACS data reported by ERS. The rural unemployment rate is at 3.7% while the urban rate is 3.6% (USDA-ERS, 2022).
Data Sources
Kaiser Family
Foundation State Health Facts;
U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts; USDA
Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets