A package for easily accessing and manipulating federal rural definitions
# install.packages("devtools")
devtools::install_github("ruralinnovation/ruraldefinitions")County-level rural definitions are loaded into the package and can be directly
accessed (e.g., ruraldefinitions::cbsa_2020). Tract-level definitions and
lower can be accessed using the get_definition function which requires a
definition name and year as parameters. For instance, the
2020 CORI definition can be accessed with get_definition("cori", 2020).
Here are the definitions and years that are currently supported by the package:
| Name | Year | Geographic Unit | Download |
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | 2010 | Block | Available through package |
| Census | 2020 | Block | Available through package |
| RUCA | 1990 | Tract | CSV |
| RUCA | 2000 | Tract | CSV |
| RUCA | 2010 | Tract | CSV |
| CORI | 2020 | Tract | CSV |
| CBSA | 2020 | County | CSV |
| CBSA | 2023 | County | CSV |
| NCHS | 1990 | County | CSV |
| NCHS | 2006 | County | CSV |
| NCHS | 2013 | County | CSV |
| NCHS | 2023 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 1974 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 1983 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 1993 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 2003 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 2013 | County | CSV |
| RUCC | 2023 | County | CSV |
| UIC | 1993 | County | CSV |
| UIC | 2003 | County | CSV |
| UIC | 2013 | County | CSV |
| UIC | 2024 | County | CSV |
If you are working with county data, we recommend using the CBSA or "Nonmetro" definition of rural. If you have access to Census tract data, we recommend using our rural definition which uses the Nonmetro and RUCA definitions to include rural tracts within metro counties.
If you'd like to read more about how we came to these decisions, we recommend reading our piece on defining rural America or our summary writeup in the Urban Institute's Do No Harm Guide on crafting equitable data narratives.
CORI (Center on Rural Innovation)
Classifies Census tracts as rural if they are located within
nonmetropolitan counties (based on the OMB definition) or if
they score 4 or higher on the USDA’s Rural-Urban
Commuting Area (RUCA) codes.
RUCA (Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes)
Classifies Census tracts into categories based on
measures of economic integration, such as population
density, urbanization, and commuting patterns. Published
by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
CBSA (Core-Based Statistical Areas)
Designates counties as metropolitan, micropolitan, or
noncore based on population size and the presence of
urban centers. Micropolitan and noncore counties are
considered nonmetropolitan. Defined by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics)
Subdivides the OMB definition into four metropolitan
and two nonmetropolitan categories. Metropolitan
counties with populations of 1 million or more are
further classified as either central (e.g., inner cities)
or fringe (e.g., suburbs).
RUCC (Rural-Urban Continuum Codes)
Metropolitan counties are
distinguished by population size, while nonmetropolitan
counties are classified by degree of urbanization and
proximity to a metropolitan area. Published by the USDA.
UIC (Urban Influence Codes)
Classifications are based on population size,
degree of urbanization, and adjacency to metropolitan areas. Published by the USDA.
Census (Census Bureau Rural Definition)
Defines rural areas as Census blocks not located within
an urban area. Urban areas are determined using
thresholds for population size and housing density.