This dataset is used to study the associations between urbanization level of residence and health and to monitor the health of urban and rural residents. NCHS has developed a six-level urban-rural classification scheme for U.S. counties and county-equivalent entities.
Rural vs. Urban Household Poverty
This layer displays information about the difference between rural and urban childhood poverty across the United States. Data are based on census-tract level information from the 2008-12 American Community Survey. Census tracts are defined as urban or rural based on 2010 US Census Bureau definitions; tract level information is then aggregated to and displayed at the Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) geographic level.
Rural vs. Urban Childhood Poverty
This layer displays information about the difference between rural and urban childhood poverty across the United States. Data are based on census-tract level information from the 2010-14 American Community Survey. Census tracts are defined as urban or rural based on 2010 US Census Bureau definitions; tract level information is then aggregated to and displayed at the Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) geographic level.
Rural vs. Urban Educational Attainment
This layer displays information about the difference between rural and urban educational attainment across the United States. Data are based on census-tract level information from the 2010-14 American Community Survey. Census tracts are defined as urban or rural based on 2010 US Census Bureau definitions; tract level information is then aggregated to and displayed at the Public Use Microdata Area (PUMA) geographic level.
2010 Census Mail Return Rate
This layer displays areas defined as Hard to Count by the United States decennial census. Data is from the US Census Planning Database and included 2010 Response Rates, Mail Return Rates, Low Response Score, and ACS Response Rates. Learn more about US Census Hard to Count areas.
Rural Hospital Closures
This layer displays the location of hospitals that no longer provide in-patient care in rural settings since 2005. Hospitals may have closed completely or converted to provide some other healthcare services.
Banking Deserts
This layer displats the average number of active branches of banks as of 2024. Data are available at the census tract.
Rural-Urban Commuting Zones
The USDA, Economic Research Service’s (ERS) Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes are a classification scheme allowing for flexible, census tract delineation of rural and urban areas throughout the United States and its territories. RUCA codes were designed to address a major limitation associated with county-based classifications; they are often too large to accurately delineate boundaries between rural and urban areas. The more geographically-detailed information provided by RUCA codes can be used to improve rural research and policy—such as addressing concerns that remote, rural communities in large metropolitan counties are not eligible for some rural assistance programs.
The RUCA codes consist of two levels. The primary RUCA codes establish urban cores and the census tracts that are the most economically integrated with those cores through commuting. The secondary RUCA codes indicate whether a census tract has a strong secondary connection (through commuting) to an even larger urban core. For more information, visit the “RUCA website” here.
Rural-Urban Commuting Zones
The USDA, Economic Research Service’s (ERS) Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes are a classification scheme allowing for flexible, census tract delineation of rural and urban areas throughout the United States and its territories. RUCA codes were designed to address a major limitation associated with county-based classifications; they are often too large to accurately delineate boundaries between rural and urban areas. The more geographically-detailed information provided by RUCA codes can be used to improve rural research and policy—such as addressing concerns that remote, rural communities in large metropolitan counties are not eligible for some rural assistance programs.
The RUCA codes consist of two levels. The primary RUCA codes establish urban cores and the census tracts that are the most economically integrated with those cores through commuting. The secondary RUCA codes indicate whether a census tract has a strong secondary connection (through commuting) to an even larger urban core. For more information, visit the “RUCA website” here.
Banking Deserts
This layer displats the average number of active branches of banks as of 2024. Data are available at the census tract.