An Enhanced Quality of Life for Rural Americans: Rural Gallery

Measuring Rurality

• What is rural?
• Map of nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties, 2003
• County map showing the 2003 Rural-urban continuum Codes
• County map showing the 2003 Urban Influence Codes
• County map showing the natural amenities scale
• Link to ERS publications on the geography of rural areas
• Maps of 2004 county types:
  • Farming-dependent counties
  • Mining-dependent
  • Manufacturing-dependent
  • Federal/State government-dependent
  • Services-dependent
  • Nonspecialized
  • Housing stress
  • Low-education
  • Low-employment
  • Persistent poverty
  • Population loss
  • Nonmetro recreation
  • Retirement destination
• For more information, see the Measuring Rurality Briefing Room

Population and Migration

• County map of nonmetro population change, 1990-2000
• Patterns in nonmetro population change, 1990-1995 versus 1995-2000
• County maps showing Native Americans as a percent of the total population in 1990 and 2000
• County maps showing Asians as a percent of the total population in 1990 and 2000
• County maps showing Blacks as a percent of the total population in 1990 and 2000
• County maps showing Hispanics as a percent of the total population in 1990 and 2000
• County map showing multiracial persons as a percent of the total population in 2000
• County map of nonmetro change in the population age 65 and over, 1990-99
• County map of nonmetro net migration, 1990-99
• County map of nonmetro natural population change, 1990-99
• County map of nonmetro minority counties, 1990
• For more information, see the Rural Population and Migration Briefing Room

Labor and Education

• Chart of nonmetro unemployment by age, sex, and race, 2006
• Line chart showing metro and nonmetro unemployment rates, 1973-2006
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro average weekly earnings by sex, race, and education, 2003
• Line chart showing metro and nonmetro low-wage employment share, 1979-2006
• County map of nonmetro unemployment, 2006
• County map of nonmetro employment change, 2000-2006
• County map of hired farm labor payroll, 2002
• Chart showing nonmetro educational attainment, 1970-2005
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro educational attainment, 1980-2000
• County map showing the nonmetro high school completion rates, 2000
• County map showing the nonmetro college completion rates, 2000
• For more information, see the Rural Labor and Education Briefing Room

Income, Poverty, and Welfare

• Line chart of real nonmetro per capita income, 1990-2005
• Map showing where the nonmetro poor are located, 2004
• Map of nonmetro counties by poverty rate, 2004
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty rates by region, 2005
• Line chart showing nonmetro and metro poverty rates, 1959-2006
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty by family type, 2005
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty rates by race and ethnicity, 2005
• Nonmetro and metro poverty rates by education, 2005
• Pie chart of transfer payments to nonmetro residents, 2005
• County-level map showing per capita value of food stamps benefits, 2005
• Map showing the overlap of high TANF dependence and high unemployment in nonmetro counties, 2002
• Chart of metro and nonmetro real earnings per nonfarm job, 1990-2005
• For more information, see the Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare Briefing Room

Housing

• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households whose housing expenses exceed half their income, 2003
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households whose homes are physically inadequate, 2003
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households who lack complete plumbing facilities, 2003
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households living in crowded homes, 2003
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households who own their homes, 2003
• For more information, see the Rural Development Strategies Briefing Room

Industry

• Chart showing metro and nonmetro manufacturing employment, 1991-2006
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro earnings per nonfarm job, 1969-2005
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro earnings by industry, 2005
• Table showing nonmetro jobs and earnings by industry, 2005
• For more information, see the Rural Industry Briefing Room

Transportation

• Map showing average commute times in nonmetro counties, 2000
• Map depicting major river systems in the U.S.
• For more information, see the Rural Development Strategies Briefing Room