Defining Rural at the U.S.

Census Bureau
American Community Survey and Geography Brief

By Michael Ratcliffe, Charlynn Burd, Kelly Holder, and Alison Fields

Issued December 2016
ACSGEO-1

Introduction population, from 54.4 percent in 1910 to 19.3 percent

in 2010.2 Changes to settlement patterns have necessi-
What image comes to mind when thinking of a rural
tated periodic recalibrations in methods and definitions
place? Does it include the farmhouse down the road?
of what constitutes urban and rural.
Does it include the new housing subdivision on the
outskirts of town? Does it include the community that “Statistics have been split into urban and rural
has formed at the crossroads? categories in decennial census publications for
over a century.”3
The U.S. Census Bureau defines rural as what is not
urban—that is, after defining individual urban areas, Geography plays a pivotal role throughout the collec-
rural is what is left. Other federal agencies and tion and dissemination of data and statistics for the
researchers may use a different definition of rural. For nation. For statistical measurement, it is necessary
example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic to subdivide the country into small geographic units.
Research Service illustrates that there are several differ- Figure 1 shows the standard Census Bureau divisions
ent ways to measure rural communities.1 of geography and their relationships. Advancements in
technology, like satellite imagery and computer-based
This brief highlights the history of delineating rural at
mapping, have fostered new methods to collect essen-
the Census Bureau, the current delineations of urban/
tial data. The innovation and technological advance-
rural areas, and the relationship that exists between
ments in data collection aid our ability to create a more
decennial censuses, the American Community Survey
nuanced, yet uniform classification of urban areas.
(ACS), and geography. Additionally, the brief catego-
rizes counties based on three types of rurality and The Census Bureau began identifying urban places in
highlights the availability of ACS estimates. reports following the 1870, 1880, and 1890 Censuses.
In the early part of the twentieth century, the Census
Over the past century, the United States has experi-
Bureau adopted an official definition, identifying incor-
enced substantial urban growth. The suburbs around
porated cities and towns with at least 2,500 people as
large cities have expanded, and in many areas account
urban. Population and territory outside of cities and
for a large proportion of an urban area’s population
towns with 2,500 or more people were considered
and land area. Midsize cities and small towns have
rural. Definitions evolved over this period to reflect
now grown into larger urban agglomerations. As urban
changing settlement patterns of the United States, but
areas and their populations have increased, the rural
population has declined as a percentage of the total 2
U.S. Census Bureau, 1910 to 1990 Censuses, <www.census.gov
/population/censusdata/urpop0090.txt>; 2000 decennial census, Table
1
See Defining the “Rural” in Rural America available at P002; 2010 decennial census, Table P2.
<www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2008/june/defining-the-rural-in-rural 3
A brief history of the Census Bureau’s definitions of urban and
-america/> and “Rural Classifications” available at <www.ers.usda.gov rural areas is available at <www.census.gov/history/www/programs
/topics/rural-economy-population/rural-classifications/>. /geography/urban_and_rural_areas.html>.
Figure 1.
Standard Hierarchy of Census Geographic Entities
AIANNH Areas
NATION (American Indian,
Alaska Native, Native
Hawaiian Areas)

REGIONS

ZIP Code Tabulation Areas DIVISIONS Urban Areas

Core Based Statistical Areas
School Districts STATES
Congressional Districts Urban Growth Areas
Counties
State Legislative Districts

Voting Districts Public Use Microdata Areas

Traffic Analysis Zones Places
County Subdivisions

Census Tracts

Subminor Civil Divisions

Block Groups

Census Blocks

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Hierarchy Diagrams, <www.census.gov/geo/reference/hierarchy.html>.

also in response to changes in data Urban or Rural? The Census Bureau uses a
users’ needs and technology.4, 5 definition based on population
Deciding where to draw the line
While the definition of urban has density and other measures of
between urban and rural can be a
continued to progress to include dense development when identi-
complex task. Densely developed
more people and territory in the fying urban territory. The defini-
“downtowns” and sparsely popu-
United States, the rural definition tion seeks to draw the boundary
lated areas are relatively easy to
remains as all territory, persons, around an urban area’s “footprint”
identify. Where does an urban area
and housing units not defined to include its developed territory.
end as settlement patterns
as urban.6 To accomplish this, the Census
change from the city center to
Bureau’s definition of urban is
suburbs and beyond? The ambi-
4
Ibid. largely based on residential popu-
5
See “Differences between the Final guity of the urban area’s edge is
2010 Census Urban Area Criteria and the
lation density and a few other
diminished with the application
Census 2000 Urban Area Criteria” available land-use characteristics to identify
at <www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/reference of standard measures.
densely developed territory.
/ua/2000_2010uadif.pdf>.
6
For a detailed discussion of urban/rural
historical definitions, see Michael Ratcliffe,
“A Century of Delineating a Changing
Landscape: The Census Bureau’s Urban and
Rural Classification, 1910 to 2010,” presented
at the Annual Meeting of the Social Science
History Association, November 14, 2015,
Baltimore, MD.

2 U.S. Census Bureau

Starting with the 1950 Census, the Density Distance
Census Bureau began implementing
In order for a block to qualify The Census Bureau recognizes that
criteria, through a uniform set of
as urban, it must have a den- there are instances where urban
objective rules, which consistently
sity of 1,000 people per square development is not continuous,
define urbanized areas with a pop-
mile (ppsm). Using an automated but perhaps should be included in
ulation of 50,000 or more. From
process, qualifying blocks are a representation of an urban area.
1950 through 1990, the delineation
aggregated to form a central core For example, a housing subdivision
process was interactive, with geog-
area. Once the initial identification may be separated from other urban
raphers delineating boundaries “by
process is concluded, a second development by a large regional
hand” on paper maps (1950–1980)
automated pass is initiated with a park, a shopping center or other
or in a geographic information
lower density threshold, 500 ppsm. commercial development, or even
system (1990). Technological
This aids in identifying blocks that a small farm. In order to accom-
limitations meant that the popula-
do not meet the initial density modate these real-world instances
tion density-based approach was
threshold, but may contain a mix in patterns of urban development,
applied only to urbanized areas
of residential and nonresidential hop and jump criteria are applied.
with 50,000 or more people.
land use (parks, schools, commer- The hop criteria allows for areas up
Outside of urbanized areas, urban
cial, retail, or industrial uses), and to half a mile along a road corridor
was defined as places with 2,500
therefore should be included within (with multiple hops) to be included.
or more people. Technological
the urban area. The jump criteria allows for the
advancements, increased comput-
inclusion of areas up to 2.5 miles,
ing power, and data processing
Land use but only one jump along a road.
following the 1990 Census allowed
the Census Bureau to extend the Beginning in 2010, the Census Rural is defined as all population,
density-based approach to smaller Bureau used land cover and imper- housing, and territory not included
clusters of the population, resulting vious surfaces (paved areas, such within an urbanized area or urban
in a consistent and seamless defini- as parking lots) to help identify cluster.10 As a result, the rural por-
tion of urban areas with 2,500 or nonresidential urban land uses. tion of the United States encom-
more people. To define an area Airports, for instance, are part of passes a wide variety of settle-
as urban, the Census Bureau uses the urban landscape, but because ments, from densely settled small
criteria including total population they lack population density and towns and “large-lot” housing sub-
thresholds, density, land use, and tend to be located on the fringe divisions on the fringes of urban
distance. Census blocks are the of developed areas, they have not areas, to more sparsely populated
“building blocks” for urban areas. always been identified as a part and remote areas. Figure 2 illus-
of an urban area. An airport must trates the classification process.
Population thresholds have a minimum of 2,500 pas-
sengers annually and be located
In 2000, the Census Bureau
within a half mile of other qualify-
expanded the classification
ing territory to be included in an 10
Details about the Census Bureau’s
to include two types of urban urban and rural classification are available
urban area.8 A block containing at <www.census.gov/geo/reference
areas: urbanized areas and
nonresidential urban land uses can /urban-rural.html>.
urban clusters. Urbanized areas
be included if it has a high amount
are areas with 50,000 or more
of impervious surface and is within
people. Urban clusters are areas
a quarter mile of the urban area.9
with at least 2,500 but fewer than
50,000 people.7
8
In 2000, the criterion was a minimum
7
A minimum of 1,500 people must reside of 10,000 passengers.
outside of group quarters to classify an area 9
See “Differences between the Final
as urban. More details about group quarters 2010 Census Urban Area Criteria and the
are available at <http://www2.census.gov Census 2000 Urban Area Criteria” at
/programs-surveys/acs/tech_docs <www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/reference
/group_definitions/2015GQ_Definitions.pdf>. /ua/2000_2010uadif.pdf>.

U.S. Census Bureau 3

Figure 2.
Graphic Depiction of Urban/Rural Classification

Urban

Rural

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2010, there were 486 urbanized Does Rural Equal rural, and while there is overlap,
areas and 3,087 urban clusters Nonmetropolitan? these geographic entities are not
in the United States.11 Urbanized identical and should not be used
The Census Bureau’s delineation
areas contained 71.2 percent of interchangeably.
of urban areas and urban clusters
the population, while 9.5 percent
provides the basis for the Office of
were within urban clusters. The The Urban/Rural
Management and Budget’s delin-
rural areas of the United States Population Spectrum
eation of Core Based Statistical
contained 19.3 percent of the By using rules for creating divisions
Areas or Metropolitan (metro) and
population. Urban areas and urban between urban and rural, it is pos-
Micropolitan (micro) statistical
clusters (Figure 3), which contained sible to have peculiar outcomes
areas.12 Metro and micro areas are
the majority of the population, only in the classification. Since the
nationally delineated for statisti-
occupied about 3.0 percent of the urban/rural classification is built
cal purposes. Nonmetropolitan
land area of the country. on blocks and tracts, a county’s
is often used synonymously with
population can be a combination
12
See “2010 Standards for Delineating of urban and rural. A tract’s popu-
Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical
Areas” at <www.whitehouse.gov/sites lation can also be split between
11
More details about 2010 Census urban /default/files/omb/assets urban or rural.
areas are available at <www.census.gov/geo /fedreg_2010/06282010_metro
/reference/ua/uafacts.html>. _standards-Complete.pdf>.

4 U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 3.
Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters: 2010

Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters: 2010

0 500 Miles

Urbanized area
Urban cluster

0 100 Miles

0 100 Miles 0 50 Miles

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Urban Area Delineation Program.

Core Based Statistical Areas (Metropolitan and Micropolitan Areas)

The delineations of urban and rural areas are used are smaller and can be either urban or rural. Each
for statistical purposes to tabulate the population metro or micro area must have one or more counties
in the United States, including Puerto Rico and island containing an urban core area. Additional, adjacent
areas. Additionally, the urban/rural delineation sup- counties with substantial social and economic
ports the Office of Management and Budget‘s (OMB) integration to the urban core may be included.
delineation of Core Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs)
In the United States, there are 381 metro areas and
or metropolitan (metro) and micropolitan (micro)
536 micro areas defined by OMB. Metro and micro
statistical areas. Urbanized areas with 50,000 or
areas account for about 94 percent of the popula-
more people form the urban cores of metro areas.
tion, while the remaining 6 percent is nonmetro.
Urban clusters with at least 10,000 and less than
The amount of land area in metro and micro areas
50,000 people form the urban cores of micro areas.
is about 47 percent and the remaining 53 percent
Metro and micro areas are based on counties.
is nonmetro.
However, the underlying geographies (urban areas
and urban clusters) that are used to define CBSAs

U.S. Census Bureau 5

In this brief, we placed counties counties lives within a metro area within each rurality category and
into three categories based on the (Table 1). Within the mostly urban their respective percentage of the
percentage of the population that counties, 29 counties have no rural population living in rural areas. A
was rural as of the 2010 Census.13 population, meaning the counties wide range of population crosses
The three rurality categories are: are 100 percent urban. According each grouping. For example, com-
(1) completely rural, (2) mostly to the 2010 Census, these 100 pletely rural counties range from
rural, and (3) mostly urban.14 Using percent urban counties comprised 82 people in Loving County, TX, to
the 2010 urban/rural definition, about 3.5 percent of the total more than 34,000 people in Lincoln
there are 704 counties or county U.S. population. When combined, County, ME. Stanley County, SD,
statistical equivalents that are the 1,253 mostly urban counties provides a good example of the
100 percent or completely rural. contained about 266.6 million complicated nature of classifying
These counties have no areas that people or 86.3 percent of the total counties as either mostly urban
are identified as urban and are U.S. population in 2010.15 or mostly rural. Stanley County
home to less than 2.0 percent of had a population of nearly 3,000,
Counties were sorted based on
the total U.S. population. Over with 2,078 people residing in Fort
the proportion of the population
20 percent of the population liv- Pierre, SD, the county’s largest pop-
living in an urban or rural area
ing in these 704 completely rural ulation center. Fort Pierre is located
in 2010. Table 2 shows the five
across the Missouri River from
most and least populous counties
13
This includes the United States only, not Pierre, SD, and is included in the
Puerto Rico.
14
Completely rural counties have a 15
There were 1,253 mostly urban coun-
Pierre urban cluster, which had a
population that is 100 percent rural. Mostly ties in the 2011–2015 ACS 5-year estimates, total population of 14,425 in 2010.
rural counties have a population that is but 1,254 mostly urban counties in the 2010
With 57.5 percent of its population
50.0–99.9 percent rural. Mostly urban Census. The statistics for Urban/rural split
counties have a population that is less and metro/nonmetro split in Table 1 use data defined as urban, Stanley County is
than 50.0 percent rural. from the 2011–2015 ACS.

Table 1.
County Type by Percentage of Urban/Rural and Metro/Nonmetro
Urban/rural split Metro/nonmetro split
Type of county Number of Percent of total Percent Percent Percent Percent
counties1 population urban rural metro nonmetro2
Mostly urban . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,253 86.3 89.0 11.0 93.9 6.1
Mostly rural . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,185 11.9 33.1 66.9 31.3 68.7
Completely rural . . . . . . . . . 704 1.7 0.0 100.0 20.2 79.8
1
Number of counties or county statistical equivalents are based on 2011–2015 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. In 2013, Bedford city, VA,
changed to town status and was added to Bedford County, decreasing the total number of mostly urban counties to 1,253.
2
Nonmetro includes micropolitan areas.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census and 2011–2015 American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

Table 2.
Selected Most and Least Populous Counties by Rurality: 2010
Completely rural Mostly rural Mostly urban
Less
100 50–99 than 50
County County County
2010 percent 2010 percent 2010 percent
Census rural Census rural Census rural
Most Lincoln County, ME. . . . . 34,457 100.0 York County, ME . . . . . . . 197,131 56.8 Los Angeles County, CA . . 9,818,605 0.6
populous Accomack County, VA. . . 33,164 100.0 Johnston County, NC. . . . 168,878 52.0 Cook County, IL. . . . . . . . . 5,194,675 0.0
Cass County, MN. . . . . . . 28,567 100.0 Penobscot County, ME . . 153,923 57.7 Harris County, TX . . . . . . . 4,092,459 1.2
Cherokee County, NC. . . 27,444 100.0 Merrimack County, NH. . . 146,445 54.6 Maricopa County, AZ. . . . . 3,817,117 2.4
San Jacinto County, TX. . 26,384 100.0 Randolph County, NC . . . 141,752 56.2 San Diego County, CA. . . . 3,095,313 3.3
Least Arthur County, NE. . . . . . 460 100.0 Dewey County, SD. . . . . . 5,301 64.1 Hemphill County, TX . . . . . 3,807 27.0
populous Kenedy County, TX . . . . . 416 100.0 Storey County, NV. . . . . . 4,010 92.6 Crockett County, TX. . . . . . 3,719 22.7
King County, TX. . . . . . . . 286 100.0 Sierra County, CA . . . . . . 3,240 99.7 Kinney County, TX. . . . . . . 3,598 20.5
Kalawao County, HI. . . . . 90 100.0 Ziebach County, SD. . . . . 2,801 73.5 Reagan County, TX. . . . . . 3,367 13.3
Loving County, TX. . . . . . 82 100.0 Quitman County, GA . . . . 2,513 73.1 Stanley County, SD. . . . . . 2,966 42.5
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census.

6 U.S. Census Bureau

classified as mostly urban for this Table 3. 5-year ACS file, data are pooled
analysis, however, nearly all of the Geographic Relationship and reweighted to the last year.
county’s land area (99.9 percent) Between the Decennial As such, the most recent geogra-
is rural. Stanley County is in the Census and 1-Year ACS for phy is applied to the entire 5-year
mostly urban category with large Urban/Rural Areas file.17 It is recommended that data
metro counties, such as San Diego, users interested in urban/rural
Census year
CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Cook, IL ACS 1-year data only compare nonoverlap-
2000 2010
(Chicago). Stanley County provides ping ACS 5-year datasets using the
2005. . . . . . . . . X
a good example of the challenges 2006. . . . . . . . . X same definition of urban and rural.
of classifying counties based only 2007. . . . . . . . . X For example, the 2008–2012 ACS
on the percentage of a county’s 2008. . . . . . . . . X 5-year estimates and 2013–2017
2009. . . . . . . . . X
population that is rural. 2010. . . . . . . . . X ACS 5-year estimates will be the
2011. . . . . . . . . X first nonoverlapping datasets that
Relating the Urban/Rural 2012. . . . . . . . . X use the same 2010 urban/rural
2013. . . . . . . . . X
Definition to the American definitions.
2014. . . . . . . . . X
Community Survey 2015. . . . . . . . . X
Unlike ACS 1-year estimates that
The definitions of urban and rural Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American provide data for about one quarter
are updated every decade following Community Survey, Geographic Boundaries by
Year, <www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs of the counties in the nation, ACS
the decennial census. The ACS uses /geography-acs/geography-boundaries-by-year 5-year estimates are available for
these definitions to identify urban .html>.
all counties and county statistical
or rural throughout the decade. equivalents (Table 5). Only 90 of
The urban and rural definitions Table 4. the mostly rural counties receive
are updated every 10 years, annual Geographic Relationship 1-year estimates. The 704 com-
data from the ACS relies on exist- Between the Decennial pletely rural counties, currently
ing definitions. Since this is the Census and 5-Year ACS for home to an estimated 5.3 million
case, the ACS does not necessarily Urban/Rural Areas people, rely solely on ACS 5-year
reflect a community’s urbanization Census year estimates.18
process.16 The new urban defini- ACS 5-year
2000 2010
tion generally goes into effect in 2005–2009. . . . . . X
the ACS the second year follow- 2006–2010. . . . . . X 17
For more detail on the American
2007–2011. . . . . . X Community Survey methods, see
ing the decennial census and is <www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
2008–2012. . . . . . X
used until the second year after 2009–2013. . . . . . X
/methodology/design-and-methodology
.html>.
the next decennial census (urban 2010–2014. . . . . . X 18
For a list of the counties in each
areas based on the 2010 Census 2011–2015. . . . . . X one of the three rurality categories, see
<http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs
were announced and available in Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American /reference/ua/County_Rural_Lookup.xlsx>.
2012). Tables 3 and 4 summa- Community Survey, Geographic Boundaries by
Year, <www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
rize the geographic relationship /geography-acs/geography-boundaries-by-year
between decennial census and .html>.

ACS with regard to urban/rural

delineations. In order to create the Table 5.
16
Estimates of urban and rural popula-
Type of County and ACS Estimates Available
tion, housing units, and characteristics reflect Number of counties receiving:
boundaries of urban areas defined based on
Type of county Number of ACS 1-year ACS 5-year
2010 Census data. As a result, data for urban
and rural areas from the ACS do not necessar- counties estimates estimates only
ily reflect the results of ongoing urbanization. Mostly urban . . . . . . . . 1,253 729 524
Mostly rural . . . . . . . . . 1,185 90 1,095
Completely rural . . . . . 704 0 704

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.

U.S. Census Bureau 7

Additional Information American Community included in this report. All compar-
Survey ative statements in this report have
Urban and rural classification undergone statistical testing, and
The American Community Survey
www.census.gov/geo/reference comparisons are significant at the
(ACS) is a nationwide survey
/urban-rural.html 90 percent confidence level unless
designed to provide communities
otherwise noted. In addition to
with reliable and timely demo-
www.census.gov/geo/reference sampling error, nonsampling error
graphic, social, economic, and
/ua/urban-rural-2010.html may be introduced during any of
housing data for the nation, states,
the operations used to collect and
www.census.gov/geo/reference congressional districts, counties,
process survey data such as edit-
/ua/uafaq.html places, and other localities every
ing, reviewing, or keying data from
year. It has an annual sample size
2010 Census questionnaires. For more informa-
of about 3.5 million addresses
tion on sampling and estimation
Information on other population across the United States and Puerto
methods, confidentiality protection,
and housing topics is presented Rico and includes both housing
and sampling and nonsampling
in the 2010 Census Briefs series units and group quarters (e.g.,
errors, please see the ACS Multiyear
located on the Census Bureau’s Web nursing facilities, college dormito-
Accuracy of the Data document
site at <http://census.gov ries, and prisons). The 5-year file of
located at <www.census.gov
/library/publications.html>. This the ACS is designed to provide reli-
/programs-surveys/acs
series also presents information able statistics for small populations
/technical-documentation
about race, Hispanic origin, age, and small geographical areas of the
/code-lists.html>.
sex, household type, housing United States. For information on
tenure, and people who reside in the ACS sample design
Contacts
group quarters. and other topics, visit
<www.census.gov If you have questions or need
For more information on /programs-surveys/acs/>. additional information, please call
confidentiality protection, the Customer Services Center at
nonsampling error, and definitions, Source and Accuracy 800-923-8282. You can also
see <www.census.gov/prod visit the Census Bureau’s
The data presented in this report
/cen2010/doc/pl94-171.pdf>. Question and Answer Center at
are based on the ACS sample
<https://ask.census.gov> to
interviewed from January 2011
Metropolitan and micropolitan submit your questions online.
through December 2015. The
areas
estimates based on this sample
For more information on metro- Suggested Citation
describe the average values of
politan and micropolitan statisti- people, households, and housing Michael Ratcliffe, Charlynn Burd,
cal areas, including concepts, unit characteristics over this period Kelly Holder, and Alison Fields,
definitions, reports, and maps, see of collection. Sampling error is the “Defining Rural at the U.S. Census
<www.census.gov/population uncertainty between an estimate Bureau,” ACSGEO-1, U.S. Census
/metro/>. based on a sample and the cor- Bureau, Washington, DC, 2016.
responding value that would be
Historical census data obtained if the estimate were based
www.census.gov/population on the entire population (as from
/www/censusdata/hiscendata a census). Measures of sampling
.html error are provided in the form of
margins of error for key estimates

8 U.S. Census Bureau