• 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 map showing American Indians and Alaskan Natives as a percent of the total population in 1990, and 2000
• County map showing Asians as a percent of the total population in 1990, and 2000
• County map showing Blacks as a percent of the total population in 1990, and 2000
• County map showing Hispanics as a percent of the total population in 1990, and 2000
• County map showing mulitracial 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, race, and education, 2003
• Line chart showing metro and nonmetro unemployment rates, 1973-2003
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro average weekly earnings by sex, race, and education, 2003
• Line chart showing metro and nonmetro low-wage employment share, 1979-2003
• County map of nonmetro unemployment, 2003
• County map of nonmetro employment change, 2002-2003
• County map of hired farm labor payroll, 2002
• Chart showing the change in the metro/nonmetro employment cost index, 1981-2003
• Chart showing nonmetro educational attainment, 1970-2000
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro educational attainment , 1990-2000
• 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, 1990-2002
• Map showing where the nonmetro poor are located, 1999
• Map of nonmetro counties by poverty rate, 1999
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty rates by region, 2001
• Line chart showing nonmetro and metro poverty rates, 1959-2002
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty by family type, 2001
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro poverty rates by race and ethnicity, 2001
• Nonmetro poverty rates by education, 2000
• Pie chart of transfer payments to nonmetro residents, 2002
• County-level map showing per capita value of food stamps benefits, 2002
• 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, 1990-2002
• For more information, see the Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare Briefing Room

• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households whose housing expenses exceed half their income, 2001
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households whose homes are physically inadequate, 2001
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households who lack complete plumbing facilities, 2001
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households living in crowded homes, 2001
• Chart showing the percentage of metro and nonmetro households who own their own homes, 2001
• For more information, see the Rural Infrastructure Briefing Room

• Chart showing metro and nonmetro manufacturing employment, 1991-2004
• Chart showing total nonfarm employment net of manufacturing employment, 1991-2004
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro earnings per nonfarm job, 1990-2002
• Chart showing metro and nonmetro earnings by industry, 2001
• Table showing nonmetro jobs and earnings by industry, 2001
• For more information, see the Rural Industry Briefing Room

Transportation

• Map showing average commute times in nonmetro counties, 2000
• For more information, see the Rural Transportation Briefing Room

for more information, contact: Linda Ghelfi
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: October 5, 2004