The term “rural” describes an area outside a city or town. The United States has no one-size-fits-all definition of a rural area. The Census Bureau’s urban and rural definitions rely on population density, while other federal agencies use land area or population thresholds.
Sometimes, rural areas are defined as those places that are not “urban.” Here, I will explore the various definitions of rural and urban areas in the United States for you in this first blog post from Rural Area Life. (This blog will be about living in rural areas, the advantages and disadvantages, and tips for rural living.)
You may find no easy answer to what “a rural area” is. Therefore, the rural definition is constantly changing, as is the population.
Rural Definition by Population Density
One common way to define a rural area is by population density. The Census Bureau defines three categories of density: urbanized areas, urban clusters, and rural areas.
- An urbanized area must have a population of at least 50,000 people. As well as the population density of at least 1,000 people per square mile.
- An urban cluster must have a population of at least 2,500 but fewer than 50,000.
- A rural area is any territory not part of an urbanized area or cluster.
Rural Land Area
Another common way to define a rural area is by land area. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) describes two rural regions: open countryside and small towns. Open countryside is any territory with less than 1,000 people per square mile, AND more than one-third of the territory is non-urban land (e.g., farms, forests, or ranches).
Small towns are any territory with less than 2,500 people, AND more than 50 percent of the territory is non-urban land.
Urban Area
The term “urban” often means dense areas of the population with high levels of development. However, the United States has no formal definition of an urban area.
Sometimes, federal agencies use terms like “metropolitan” or “micropolitan” to describe densely populated areas.
Cities
Metropolitan areas have at least one city with a population of 50,000 or more people, AND they contain surrounding county territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with that city.
Micropolitan areas have at least one city with a population between 10,000 and 50,000 people,e AND they contain surrounding county territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with that city.
Rural Definition vs. Urban Area
It’s important to note that rural and urban definitions can vary depending on the source. For example, the Census Bureau includes places like prisons and military bases in defining an urbanized area.
This is how they do it, even though those places are not as “urban” by most people’s standards.
So, when looking at data about rural and urban areas, make sure you know how the data was collected and what definition was used. What is considered a rural definition in one country may not be the same in another area.
The definitions of rural and urban in the United States vary from area to area.
Conclusion of Rural Area Definition
In short, there is no definitive answer to the question, “What is considered a rural area in the United States?” Federal agencies like the Census Bureau and the USDA use different criteria to define rural areas.
However, it’s essential to know how the data you’re looking at is collected before drawing any conclusions from it.
Generally speaking, however, we can say that rural areas are usually defined as less densely populated than urban areas. Often, they have more land devoted to agriculture or other forms of natural habitat than developed land devoted to buildings or roads.
What other rural definition would you add to these rural definitions above?
