Looking for some quick facts about rural Pennsylvania? Take a look below.

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Households and Families

• In 2010, rural Pennsylvania had 1.37 million households: 52 percent were married couple households; 27 percent were single person households; 8 percent were single parent households; and 13 percent were other types of living arrangements. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• Sixty-six percent of rural children (under 18 years old) lived in a married couple household in 2010. In 2000, 72 percent of rural children lived in a married couple household. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In 2010, rural households had 2.4 members. In 1960, there was an average of 3.3 people per household. (U.S. Census Bureau)
  

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Housing

• In 2010, there were 1.6 million housing units in rural Pennsylvania. From 2000 to 2010, the number of units increased by 87,000, or 6 percent. In urban counties, there were 3.9 million housing units. From 2000 to 2010, the number of units increased by 230,500, or 6 percent.
• From 2000 to 2010, rural Pennsylvania gained 1.2 housing units for every new resident. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In 2010, the homeownership rate in rural Pennsylvania was 74 percent. The urban rate was 68 percent.  (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In rural Pennsylvania, 85 percent of housing units were occupied and 15 percent were vacant in 2010. Of the vacant units, 55 percent were for seasonal or recreational use and 45 percent were for sale or rent, or were vacant for other reasons. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In 2007-2011, the average value of a rural owner-occupied housing unit was about $155,498. The average of an urban owner-occupied unit was about $230,407. (U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey)
• In 2007-2011, a rural renter paid an average monthly rent of $612 and an urban renter paid an average of $839 a month. (U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey)
• In 2007-2011, 47 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 50 percent paid 30 percent or more of their income for rent. (U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey)
  

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Income

• The average household income in rural Pennsylvania was $57,826 in 2007-2011. Among rural households, about 39 percent had incomes below $35,000 and 14 percent had incomes of $100,000 or more. (U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey)
• In 2011, per capita personal income in rural Pennsylvania counties was $34,521, or $10,676 less than in urban counties. This gap has more than doubled since 1970, when the inflation-adjusted, rural-urban income gap was $5,140. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
• Rural Pennsylvania is becoming increasingly dependent on unearned income. In 2011, about 40 percent of total personal income came from unearned sources, such as interest, dividends and rent, and from government transfer payments, like Social Security and unemployment compensation. In 1970, these sources accounted for 24 percent of the total. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis)
• In 2011, the poverty rate in both rural and urban Pennsylvania was about 14 percent. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In June 2012, 13 percent of rural residents were eligible to participate in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP (formerly known as food stamps); about 1 percent received cash assistance from programs like Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); and about 16 percent were eligible to be enrolled in Medicaid (Medical Assistance). (Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare)

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Businesses and Employment

• In the second quarter of 2012, rural Pennsylvania had an average of 85,823 employers, or 25 employers for every 1,000 rural residents. From 2010 to 2012, the number of rural employers increased 1 percent. In urban counties, there were 245,933 employers, or 27 employers for every 1,000 urban residents. From 2010 to 2012, the number of urban employers increased 3 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
• In 2010, about 52 percent of rural Pennsylvania businesses had fewer than five employees. From 2006 to 2010, the number of these small businesses declined 4 percent. (U.S. Census Bureau)
• In the second quarter of 2012, 1.26 million people, on average, were employed in rural Pennsylvania. From 2010 to 2012, there was an increase of 24,180 employees, or 2 percent. In urban counties, 4.28 million people, on average, were employed. From 2010 to 2012, the number of employed persons increased by 54,870, or about 1 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
• In June 2012, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in rural Pennsylvania was 8.1 percent. The urban rate was 8.0 percent. (Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry)
  

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Health Care

• Rural counties have fewer primary care physicians than urban counties. In 2008, there was one rural primary care physician for every 1,507 residents. In urban counties, there was one primary care physician for every 981 residents. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
• Along with fewer primary care physicians, rural counties also have fewer dentists. In 2009, there was one practicing dentist for every 2,665 residents. In urban counties, there was one dentist for every 1,845 residents. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
• In 2009-2010, there were 70 general acute care hospitals, with a total of 8,062 beds, in rural Pennsylvania. Seven rural counties have no hospitals. On average, there were 2.32 hospital beds for every 1,000 rural residents. There were 2.77 hospital beds for every 1,000 urban residents. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
• In 2010, an estimated 15 percent of rural working age adults (18 to 64 years old) did not have health care insurance. Among similarly aged urban adults, 14 percent did not have health care insurance. (U.S