What is Rural?

Rural is defined in many different ways. The two most commonly used classification systems, those of the Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget, result in very different sets of places defined as rural.  According to Robin Blakely at the Community & Rural Development Institute, Cornell University, rural residents may define “rural” as a way of life rather than a particular geographical, political or economic unit.  Policymakers may define “rural” more broadly in order to cast a wider net for legislative support.  For the purposes of the following data, “rural” has been defined as any New York State county with a population of 200,000 or less.  This is the definition used by New York State law.

For more information, please read the following article: “What Is Rural? And Why Does It Matter?”