People often ask us how we define rural. At Radically Rural, we trust our network to decide if they are rural, whether based on population, access to resources, or something else. If you live or work in a rural area, we want you in our network. We know that answer may not quell your curiosity, so we’ve compiled a list of rural definitions & resources to help you better understand what “rural” means:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- U.S. Census Bureau
- National Center for Education Statistics
- Rural Health Information Hub (RHIhub)
- Merriam Webster Dictionary
Now you know what rural means, but what about all those other words rural development folks are using? Check out Aspen CSG’s Essential Definitions for Rural Development to get up to speed.
How are folks measuring the success of rural communities? Check out the examples below. Any of these economic indicators or metric benchmarks may be a great start for your community.
