Data Sources & Tools Relevant to Rural Health

Source/Tool	Topics	Ease of Use	Geographic Level of Data	Frequency Updated
2014 Update of the Rural-Urban Chartbook Rural Health Reform Policy Research Center Individual data tables (Excel)	Data from many federal sources on the following topics: Demographics Health behaviors and risk factors Mortality rates Healthcare access and use Other health measures	Printed report Excel spreadsheet	National Regional 5 levels of urbanization/rurality	Infrequent. The 2014 edition updates a 2001 report from the CDC.
AGing Integrated Database (AGID): ACL Special Tabulations Administration for Community Living	American Community Survey data on the population 60 and older, covering: Demographics Disability status Employment Income Poverty	Easy, web-based interface	National State County Rural (2008-2012)	Annual release based on 5-year ACS estimates
AGing Integrated Database (AGID): County-Level Population Estimates Data Custom Tables Administration for Community Living	Population estimates for the older adult population: Age range Gender Race/ethnicity	Easy, web-based interface	County	Annual
American Community Survey (ACS) U.S. Census Bureau Access ACS via American FactFinder Other Data Tools for accessing ACS data	Demographic Age and sex Ancestry Disability Commuting to work Education Employment Family/relationships Health insurance Income and earnings Language Origins Population change Poverty Race and ethnicity Veterans Housing - financial and physical characteristics	A variety of tools are available, for varying levels of expertise and purpose	National State County Community Rural-specific Public Use Microdata Area ZIP Code Tabulation Area Full list of geographic areas	Data estimates are released every year 1-year estimates for areas with population of 65,000 or more 5-year estimates for areas with population below 65,000
American FactFinder U.S. Census Bureau	Centralized access to a variety of U.S. Census Bureau data	Both guided and advanced search options are available	National State County Community Rural-specific Geographic Comparison Tables	Ongoing, as new U.S. Census Bureau data is available
American FactFinder: Community Facts U.S. Census Bureau	Population Age Business and industry Education Housing Income Origins and language Poverty Veterans	Easy, web-based interface	National State County Community ZIP code	Varies. Uses the latest U.S. Census Bureau data available for the selected geography.
Area Health Resources Files (AHRF) Health Resources and Services Administration Includes the Health Resources Comparison Tool, for county comparisons	Data from many sources on the following topics: Healthcare facilities Healthcare utilization Healthcare workforce Health professions training Demographics Social determinants of health Rural classifications	Challenging, data available as a download file or as a Microsoft Access database	National State County	County AHRF is updated annually See AHRF Variables by Years Available. You can also select from specific Data Categories to find available years of data.
Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture	Population change overall and by demographic group ACS data BLS data 60 socioeconomic indicators	Easy, web-based interface	County	Ongoing, as new data is available
BEA Regional Economic Accounts Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Access BEA Interactive Regional Data Access per capita income via BEARFACTS Local Area (County) Fact Sheets	Employment Per capita income Income by industry (including healthcare)	Somewhat complex and powerful web-based tool and county-level customizable mapping. Easy printable fact sheets for income data	State County	Annual
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention For state-level data access options, see State BRFSS Contacts	Health behaviors of adults, including: Chronic diseases and conditions Health-risk behaviors Use of preventive health services	Accessing BRFSS county-level data directly requires statistical expertise Comparing counties within a state is considered appropriate by the CDC. Comparing individual counties across state lines is not considered appropriate due to the methodological constraints of the sample. CDC web-based tools do not provide county-level details. Public release data not available for any county with fewer than 10,000 residents. Easier-to-use tools that include BRFSS data: HealthLandscape County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, which offers information based on BRFSS data, aggregated, analyzed, and summarized for use in County Health Rankings	National State County	Annual
CDC WONDER Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	Public health Environment Births Mortality	A complex but fairly user-friendly web-based system that offers many options to narrow results	National State County (births) Rural (mortality)	Annual
CMS Data Navigator Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	A range of CMS programs, including: Medicaid Medicare CHIP Health Insurance Marketplace Demonstrations	Easy-to-use interface for identifying data sources and reports. Some sources require statistical expertise.	National Regional State County Hospital Referral Region	Varies
Community Commons Maps & Data Free, but registration required Access Community Commons County Profiles	Data from a wide range of sources on topics that include: Demographics Social and economic factors Health behaviors	Easy access county profiles Somewhat complex but powerful mapping system	Varies by data source: State County Census Tract School District Many more	Ongoing
Community Health Status Indicators (CHSI) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	Data from many sources on the following topics: Health outcomes Healthcare access and quality Health behaviors Social factors Physical environment	Easy-to-use interface Comparisons to peer counties	County
County Health Rankings & Roadmaps Robert Wood Johnson Foundation	Compiles and standardizes data from a variety of national sources on these topics: Health factors Health behaviors Clinical Care Social and economic factors Physical environment Health outcomes Length of life Quality of life	Easy, web-based interface Can download data as Excel file	County (Some data may not be available for all counties)	Annual
Current Population Survey U.S. Census Bureau & Bureau of Labor Statistics Access via IPUMS-CPS Access via Census DataFerrett or DataFerrett FTP	Labor force statistics, including: Unemployment rate Earnings Demographics Health insurance Disability status	Web-based tools are complex and require expertise to use effectively. To access rural-specific data via IPUMS-CPS, select "Metro" from the Geographic Variables. For guidance in using this tool, see the IPUMS-CPS Frequently Asked Questions.	State County Rural	Monthly (March data serves as national benchmark for various indicators)
The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice	Compiles Medicare data on: Enrollee demographics Reimbursement Utilization Quality	Map-based interface is fairly easy to use. Get profiles by county, hospital, and region by selecting from the map.	Data available for each geography varies: Hospital Referral Region Hospital Service Area Primary Care Service Area County (limited data) Hospital
Data.CMS.Gov Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	Central data portal for information on a wide range of CMS programs and providers.	Web-based interface with a variety of controls and options	Varies by data set
Data Resource Center for Child & Adolescent Health Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI)	Data from the National Survey of Children’s Health and the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs on: Child health indicators Family life indicators	Most useful for researchers. State-level rural data is available for some states, but only in the public use files, not via the web interface. Analyzing requires the ability to statistically account for the weighted nature of the survey.	National State
ERS State Fact Sheets Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture	Data from ERS, Census, BLS, BEA on: Population Food security Income Education Employment	Easy, printable list of relevant information	National State Rural-specific	Ongoing, as new data is available
Food Access Research Atlas Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture	Data from a range of sources on: Food deserts Food access indicators	Easy, web-based interface Downloadable data that can be merged into GIS software at the 2010 Census Tract level for use with other spatial layers.	Census tracts
Food Environment Atlas Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture	Data from a range of sources on: Access to healthy food Food security Obesity rates Physical activity Demographics	Easy, web-based interface Data can also be downloaded and merged into GIS software.	State County (not available for all data)
FoodAPS National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey Economic Research Service (ERS) US Department of Agriculture	Food items and prices for households and individuals Food and nutrition assistance program benefits Local food environments	Restricted-use data files Requires statistical expertise	County Census tract Census block group	Infrequent. FoodAPS-1 released in 2016 based on 2012-2013 survey; FoodAPS-2 is planned
The Health and Well-Being of Children in Rural Areas: A Portrait of the Nation 2011-2012 Health Resources and Services Administration Published 4/2015 Print version	Data from the National Survey of Children's Health on the following topics: Health status Health insurance coverage Healthcare access Family life and parental health status School and neighborhood factors	Web-based and printed report	National Rural-specific	Infrequent. The 2015 edition updates a 2011 report based on 2007 data
Health, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Access to nonmetropolitan data	Data from a range of sources on: Health status and determinants Healthcare utilization, Access Expenditures	Publication with charts/tables Supporting Excel files available on the website	National State Rural-specific	Annual
Health System Data Center The Commonwealth Fund	Provides access to the Commonwealth Fund's Scorecard on State Health System Performance, covering: Access Quality Cost Outcomes	Easy, web-based interface with option to download data to Excel	State Hospital referral region	Annual
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Access via HCUPnet	Hospital care data from a set of databases on: Inpatient utilization Emergency department utilization Access Cost Quality Outcomes	Easy, web-based access Public-use and fee-based versions	National State (for participating states) County (beta version, for selected states) Sets/groups of hospitals, including rural hospitals	Ongoing, as data is available
HealthLandscape American Academy of Family Physicians Free, but registration required	Data from a variety of sources showing: Healthcare facilities Health status Health insurance Employment and income Demographics	Somewhat complex but powerful web-based interactive mapping	State County
Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke Centers for Disease Control and Prevention	Data from a variety of federal sources on: Heart disease Stroke Social determinants of health Health services Healthcare facilities	Fairly straightforward web-based mapping system	National State County
Kaiser State Health Facts Kaiser Family Foundation	Data from a variety of public and private sources on: Demographics Healthcare costs Health insurance Health status Minority and women's health Medicaid and Medicare Healthcare providers	Easy, web-based access	State	Ongoing, as new data is available Focuses on issues of current concern, so may have limited trending data for a given topic
Kids Count Data Center Annie E. Casey Foundation	Data on children's health and well-being, from a variety of national and state sources, covering: Demographics Economic well-being Education Family and community Health Safety and risk behaviors	Easy to navigate website	State County Congressional District	Annual
Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Access LAUS Tables Access LAUS County Maps Access LAUS Customized Tables	Employment Unemployment	Basic tables available on web site Easy-to-use maps Somewhat complex web-based search tool	County	Monthly
Longitudinal Tract Data Base Brown University	1970-2010 Census and American Community Survey data with standardized tract boundaries	Files available for download, requires data expertise	Census tract
Mapping Medicare Disparities Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	Provides data on Medicare beneficiaries on: Health disparities Chronic conditions Health outcomes Healthcare utilization Cost	Easy-to-use web-based system	State County	Currently offers 2012-2014 data
Measure of America Access Measure of America Maps	Data from a variety of sources on topics related to: Health Education Income	Easy, web-based map tool. Zoom in or enter ZIP code for a county profile County data can be downloaded by submitting a download agreement.	National maps with county-level data County profiles	Data sets available: 2000, 2008-2009, 2010-2011, 2013-2014
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)	Healthcare access Health services utilization Healthcare costs and payment methods Healthcare quality Health insurance coverage and cost	Easy to access summary tables Somewhat complex web-based system Downloadable files require advanced data skills and do not contain metropolitan/non-metropolitan identifiers.	National State Metropolitan/Non-metropolitan
Medicare Chronic Conditions Dashboards Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	Provides data on Medicare beneficiaries on: Chronic condition prevalence Healthcare utilization and Medicare spending related to chronic conditions	Easy-to-use web-based system	National State County Hospital Referral Region	Currently offers 2012 data
Medicare Geographic Variation Dashboards Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services	Medicare fee-for-service per capita costs	Fairly straightforward, web-based tool In the county dashboard, select a state by clicking the map.	National State County	Annual
National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS); National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Survey Results and Products	Data on ambulatory medical care services, including services provided by office-based physicians, hospital emergency and outpatient departments, and ambulatory surgery centers	Data is available in reports and tables on specific topics. Data is only to be used on one stratification level at a time; drilling down beyond the presented stratifications breaks the sampling scheme.	National Rural/Urban based on patient ZIP code	Reports issued throughout the year
NCHHSTP Atlas National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP)	HIV/AIDS Viral hepatitis Tuberculosis Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)	Somewhat complex web-based system that offers various narrowing options depending on the data	National State County
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics US Department of Veterans Affairs	Veteran population VA benefit utilization	Downloadable files Static maps	National State County
National Health Interview Survey Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Access NHIS Tables of Summary Health Statistics Access NHIS Datasets	Health status Health behaviors Health insurance coverage	Easy to access summary tables	Metropolitan/Non-metropolitan	Annual
National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota	Historical Census data GIS-compatible boundary files	Free, but registration required to view data. Somewhat complex system for selecting files. Video tutorial available.	Nation State County Place Rural	Census Data from 1790-2013
National Survey on Drug Use and Health Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Access Drug Use and Health Detailed Tables, 2015 Access Mental Health Detailed Tables, 2014	Mental health conditions and services Substance abuse incidence and treatment	Detailed tables available on website. For rural data, look for tables that list "Geographic Characteristics"	National State Regions within states Rural-specific	Annual
Net Migration Patterns for U.S. Counties Applied Population Laboratory, University of Wisconsin-Madison	Population Age Race/ethnicity Sex	Easy web-based interface	County	1950-2010
Population Estimates U.S. Census Bureau Access Population Estimates via American Factfinder	Age Sex Race and ethnicity	American FactFinder's guided and advanced search options are available	National State County	Annual
QuickFacts U.S. Census Bureau	Data from multiple Census Bureau censuses, surveys, and programs on the following topics: Demographics Housing Education Economy Income and Poverty Businesses	Easy-to-use Good starting place for beginner data users Easy to compare multiple geographies Includes tables, maps, charts	National State County Cities and towns with population of 5,000 or more	Ongoing, as new data is available
Rural Data Portal Housing Assistance Council	Data from a range of sources on: Demographics Social indicators Economics Housing	Easy-to-use web-based tool	National, with rural option State, with rural option County
Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) U.S. Census Bureau Access SAHIE Interactive Data Tool	Health insurance coverage by age, race, gender, and income	Straightforward web-based tool Easy-to-find national maps showing county-level data	State County	Updated annually, but base data may not be as current for all rural areas, because it uses ACS data.
Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) U.S. Census Bureau Access SAIPE Interactive Data Tool Access SAIPE State and County Maps	Annual model-based estimates for poverty (including children in poverty) Median household income	Straightforward web-based tool Easy-to-find national maps showing county-level data	State County School District	Updated annually, but base data may not as current for all rural areas, because it uses ACS data.
State Cancer Profiles National Cancer Institute	Cancer burden Screening and risk factors Demographic data	Easy-to-use web-based system, including mapping	National State County	Data comes from state public health surveillance systems, so is updated as complete national data is available. State websites may offer more detailed and more current data.
Why Not The Best? The Commonwealth Fund	Data from a range of sources on: Quality Patient experience Outcomes Health status	Easy system for comparing regions and hospitals	State Hospital Referral Region County Hospital Groups of hospitals, including "average rural" and by bed size	Ongoing
WISQARS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Metro/nonmetro: Fatal Injury Reports County: Fatal Injury Maps	Fatal and nonfatal injury Violent death Cost of injury	Web-based system with a variety of search options	National Region State County Metropolitan/Non-metropolitan	Data from a variety of sources. Year ranges available vary.

Selected sources identified via:
Using Data to Understand Your Community, Rural Health Value