Here's how you know.
 **Official websites use .gov**
        
        A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
 **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
        
        A **lock** (  ) or **https://** means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
 National Agricultural Library
                U.S. Department of Agriculture
        
                              Secondary Links
  

        
      Ask A QuestionContact UsDigiTopSite Search
Submit Search

                              menu

                                      Main menu

      
      HomeTopicsAnimal Health and WelfareEconomics, Business, and TradeFarms and Agricultural Production SystemsHuman Nutrition and Food SafetyNatural Resources, Conservation, and EnvironmentPlant Production and GardeningRural Development and CommunitiesAll TopicsResearch ToolsNAL Catalog (AGRICOLA)PubAgAg Data CommonsNAL ThesaurusFood Data CentralFood Safety Research Projects DatabaseManuscript Collections SearchAll Research ToolsCollectionsDigital CollectionsExhibitsSpecial CollectionsStories From the CollectionGovernment DocumentsAll CollectionsDataScientific Data ServicesData Management Planning ServicesCreate a DMPDMP Feedback and ReviewFind a Data RepositoryData Management GlossaryData Management VideosServicesPublic Access and Open Science at USDAData Management PlanningAg Data Commons User GuideDigiTopBorrow MaterialsReference and ResearchAll ServicesAbout UsAbout the LibraryEventsOrganization ChartInternshipsProgram AreasContact Us Home
          Rural Development and Communities
          What is Rural?What is Rural?

  Ideas and definitions relating to the term rural are diverse.  The Census Bureau defines rural as any population, housing, or territory **not**in an urban area.  This definition is closely tied to its urban definition, of which there are two geographical types:
"Urbanized Areas" have a population of 50,000 or more.
"Urban Clusters" have a population between 2,500 and 50,000.The federal government classifies areas and population for statistical, programming, and funding purposes. When applying for grants and funding, or conducting research, one should refer to the rural definition provided by the offering agency or organization.
(Image: Unknown. “Resting at Laguna Beach, Cal., after ten years of hard work.” Special Collections, USDA National Agricultural Library.)


  Rural Data and Statistics
    
    **USDA. ​​Economic Research Service (ERS)**
The Atlas of Rural and Small-Town America 
		An interactive map tool and data source which provides statistics on 5 broad categories and socioeconomic factors: demographic data on people and veterans, jobs, county classifications, and income.
Data for Rural Analysis
		Data sets produced and maintained by ERS that are used by policymakers and researchers to identify rural and urban areas.
State Fact Sheets 
		Interactive map and data tools that include state and county information.
**National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)**
	A  locale classification is a general geographic indicator that describes the type of area where a school is located. NCES classifies all territory in the U.S. into four types – Rural, Town, Suburban, and City, and each type is divided into three subtypes based on population size or proximity to populated areas.
**U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,**Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Defining Rural Population
		The HRSA definition of rural populations.
Health Shortage Designation 
		Shortage designation identifies an area, population, or facility experiencing a shortage of health care services - find your area designation here as well.
**U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA)****​**
**​​**Rural Veterans 
		Almost 25% of all Veterans in the United States reside in rural communities. VA uses the Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) system to define rurality.Page Content Curated By
    

      Rural Information Center (RIC)
 Footer menu
  

        
      HomeSitemapSocial MediaFacebookTwitterYouTube
          
          Government Links
            AskUSDA
  Policies and Links
  Plain Writing
  FOIA
  Accessibility Statement
  Privacy Policy
  Non-Discrimination Statement
  Civil Rights Policy
  Information Quality
  Agricultural Research Service
  USDA.gov
  USA.gov
  WhiteHouse.govSign up for ARS News updates
                Your email address