Rural Quick Facts

Demographics

  • In 2020, nearly 3.4 million people, or about 26 percent of the state's 13.0 million residents, lived in Pennsylvania's 48 rural counties. (2020 Census, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • From 2010 to 2020, rural Pennsylvania's population declined about 2 percent. Urban Pennsylvania's population increased 2 percent. (2010 and 2020 Censuses, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • From 2000 to 2020, rural Pennsylvania's population became more racially diverse. In 2000, there were about 168,114 residents, or 5 percent of the total population, who were non-white and/or Hispanic. In 2020, 394,533 rural residents, or 12 percent of the total population, were non-white and/or Hispanic. (2000 and 2020 Censuses, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • On average, rural Pennsylvania residents are older than urban Pennsylvania residents. In 2020, 20 percent of the rural population was 65 years old and older compared to 18 percent of the urban population. From 2010 to 2020, the number of rural seniors increased 18 percent and the number of urban seniors increased 20 percent. 2010 and 2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2019, about 123,932 people moved into rural Pennsylvania; 53 percent of these people moved into rural Pennsylvania from outside the state and 47 percent moved from urban Pennsylvania. During the same period, 109,290 people moved out of rural Pennsylvania: 53 percent moved to another state and 47 percent moved to urban Pennsylvania. (2019, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • From 2010 to 2019, the number of births decreased 7.5 percent in rural Pennsylvania and 5 percent in urban Pennsylvania. In 2019, 42 of Pennsylvania's 48 rural counties had more deaths than births. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
  • In 2020, approximately 89,221 rural residents were foreign-born, or 7 percent of the rural population. In urban counties, there were more than 807,500 foreign-born residents, or 7 percent of the urban population. In both rural and urban counties, 54 percent of foreign-born residents were naturalized citizens and 43 percent were not U.S. citizens. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, 71 percent of rural municipalities had fewer than 2,000 residents. (U.S. Census Bureau)

Households and Families

  • In 2020, rural Pennsylvania had 1.37 million households: 51 percent were married-couple households, 29 percent were single-person households, 7 percent were single-parent households, and 13 percent were other types of living arrangements. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • From 1990 to 2020, the number of single-person households in rural Pennsylvania increased 36 percent. In urban Pennsylvania, there was a 31 percent increase in single-person households during this period. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, and 1990 Census, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, 24 percent of rural households had children (those under 18 years old) living in their home. In urban counties, 26 percent of households had children living in their home. From 1990 to 2020, the percent of rural households with children declined 10 percentage points, and the percent of urban households with children declined 7 percentage points. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, and 2000 Census, U.S. Census Bureau)

Housing

  • In 2020, there were 1.66 million housing units in rural Pennsylvania. From 2010 to 2020, the number of units increased by 35,900, or 2 percent. In urban counties, there were 4.05 million housing units. From 2010 to 2020, the number of units increased by 110,000, or 3 percent. (2010 and 2020 Censuses, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, there were 6,606 first-time home buyers in rural Pennsylvania counties, compared with 33,630 in urban counties. (Federal Housing Finance Agency, Enterprise Public Use Database, Single-Family Properties, Census Tract File.)
  • In 2020, the homeownership rate in rural Pennsylvania was 74 percent. The urban rate was 67 percent. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In rural Pennsylvania, 83 percent of housing units were occupied, and 17 percent were vacant in 2020. Of the vacant units, 51 percent were for seasonal or recreational use, 18 percent were for sale or rent, and 31 percent were vacant for other reasons. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, the average value of a rural owner-occupied housing unit was about $177,631. The average value of an urban owner-occupied unit was about $256,368. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, a rural renter paid an average monthly rent of $748, and an urban renter paid an average of $1,056 a month. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, 45 percent of rural renters paid 30 percent or more of their income for rent. According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, housing is not considered affordable if renters pay 30 percent or more of their income on housing costs. Among urban renters, about 47 percent paid 30 percent or more of their income for rent. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, 16 percent of rural households and 12 percent of urban households did not have internet access. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)

Income

  • The average household income in rural Pennsylvania was $72,860 in 2020. Among rural households, about 45 percent had incomes below $50,000 and 23 percent had incomes of $100,000 or more. In urban Pennsylvania, the average household income was $92,558; 38 percent had income below $50,000 and 32 percent had income of $100,000 or more. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2020, per capita personal income in rural Pennsylvania counties was $50,615, or $15,041 less than the urban per capita personal income of $65,656. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
  • In 2020, 47 percent of total personal income in rural Pennsylvania came from unearned sources, such as interest, dividends, and rent, and from government transfer payments, like Social Security and unemployment compensation. In urban counties, these unearned income sources accounted for 33 percent of total personal income. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
  • In 2020, the rural poverty rate was 11.5 percent, and the urban rate was 10.7 percent. (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • On average, in 2021, 13.3 percent of rural residents were eligible to participate in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), less than 0.5 percent received cash assistance from programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and about 24.5 percent were eligible to be enrolled in Medicaid (Medical Assistance). (Pennsylvania Department of Human Services)
  • In 2021, 3,060 rural individuals and businesses filed for federal bankruptcy. In urban Pennsylvania, there were 7,307 filings. (U.S. Courts)

Businesses and Employment

  • In the second quarter of 2020, rural Pennsylvania had an average of 82,062 employers. In urban counties, there were 246,965 employers. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
  • In the second quarter of 2020, 1.15 million people, on average, were employed in rural Pennsylvania. In urban counties, 4.16 million people, on average, were employed. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
  • For 2021, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania estimated that the average rural unemployment rate was 6.4 percent, and the urban rate was 6.3 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
  • In 2020, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of rural Pennsylvania was $148.8 billion, or $44,252 per capita. The GDP for urban Pennsylvania was $623 billion, or $66,141 per capita. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
  • In 2017, Pennsylvania's 53,157 farms sold more than $7.75 billion in commodities. (2017 Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service)

Health Care

  • Rural counties have fewer physicians than urban counties. In 2019, there was one rural primary care physician for every 523 residents. In urban counties, there was one primary care physician for every 216 residents. (U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration)
  • Along with fewer physicians, rural counties also have fewer dentists. In 2019, there was one practicing dentist for every 2,509 residents. In urban counties, there was one dentist for every 1,500 residents. (U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration)
  • In 2020, there were 66 general acute care hospitals, with a total of 7,055 beds, in rural Pennsylvania. Eight rural counties have no hospitals. On average, there were 2.08 hospital beds for every 1,000 rural residents. There were 2.48 hospital beds for every 1,000 urban residents. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
  • In 2020, an estimated 7.2 percent of rural residents under 65 years old did not have health care insurance, compared with 6.6 percent of urban Pennsylvanians. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2017-2019, both rural and urban counties had identical infant mortality rates (6.0 for every 1,000 live births). (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
  • In 2017-19, rural counties had fewer overdose deaths than urban counties. In rural counties, there were 2,655 deaths, or 26.1 deaths per 100,000 residents, due to overdose. In urban counties, there were 10,411 deaths, or 36.9 deaths per 100,000 residents, due to overdose. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)

Education

  • In 2020, 23 percent of rural Pennsylvanians who were 25 years old and older had a bachelor's degree or higher compared to 36 percent of urban Pennsylvanians of the same age. About 10 percent of rural and urban adults did not have a high school diploma. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In the 2020-2021 academic year, an estimated 374,732 students were enrolled in Pennsylvania's 238 rural school districts. From 2011 to 2021, the number of rural students decreased almost 15 percent. In urban districts there were 1.14 million students enrolled in Pennsylvania's 262 urban school districts. From 2011 to 2021, there was a 6 percent decline in enrollment. (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  • Enrollment projections by the Pennsylvania Department of Education show enrollment continuing to decline for the next 10 years. From the 2019-20 to the 2028-29 academic years, rural school district enrollment is projected to decline 7 percent, and urban district enrollment is projected to decline 3 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  • In 2020, 88 percent of rural Pennsylvania's K-12 grade students were enrolled in public schools, and 12 percent were enrolled in private schools. Among urban K-12 grade students, 85 percent were enrolled in public schools and 15 percent were enrolled in private schools. (2020, 5-Year Average, American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau)
  • In 2019-2020, 47 percent of rural school district revenues came from state government, 46 percent came from local sources, such as taxes, and the remaining 7 percent came from the federal government and other sources. Among urban school districts, 34 percent of revenues came from the state, 59 percent came from local sources, and the remaining 8 percent came from the federal government and other sources. (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  • In 2020-2021, rural school districts spent an average of $20,789 per student. Urban school districts spent an average of $22,304 per student. (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  • In 2019-2020, the rural graduation rate was 92 percent, and the urban graduation rate was 88 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Education)
  • In rural Pennsylvania, in 2020, there were 54 degree-granting institutions (colleges and universities) and 39 non-degree granting institutions (trade and technical schools). In urban Pennsylvania, there were 171 degree-granting institutions and 74 non-degree granting institutions. [Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), National Center for Education Statistics]