A new searchable database of social, economic and housing information is available free online at the Rural Data Portal.
The portal is a free online tool of the Housing Assistance Council, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing in rural areas, especially for the poorest of the poor.
The tool differs from other census and data tools in the way it defines “rural” versus “urban” areas. Understanding rural areas poses unique challenges, according to HAC.
The concept of “rural” is defined differently by different agencies and measures, such as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget. Shifting populations further complicate analysis: Over time, once-rural places become suburban, and other areas lose population.
Using the census, American Community Survey and federal home mortgage data, HAC developed its own definitions, based on housing density and commuting patterns.
For general comparison, HAC lumps rural and small town tracts together to encompass tracts with zero to 64 housing units per square mile and low rates of commuting. At the highest density, urban areas have more than 1,600 housing units per square mile.
The website generates customized reports at the state and national levels, showing aggregate figures for rural, suburban and urban areas. Compared to the maps that lump measures together by proximity, the results can be surprising.
For instance, geographically, Orleans and Essex counties in Vermont rank highest for the percentage of the population living in poverty, with 14.3 percent and 16.9 percent, respectively.
When Vermont’s rural, suburban and urban areas are compared, however, it’s the urban places with the most poverty: 29.4 percent, compared to 11.5 percent in the state’s rural and small town tracts.
An online tutorial, FAQ and color-coded key to indicate the reliability of each data point are helpful features that make the tool accessible to the general public.
