How We Define Rural
There are a number of rural definitions from federal and state agencies. Most definitions have merit, but each comes with tradeoffs as well. Rather than using these existing rural definitions, at the NC Rural Center we use our own custom defintions to identify our rural population. We believe that our definition, which looks strictly at the population density of each county (population per square mile), serves as a better general definition for rural areas in North Carolina and better captures the county-centric identities many North Carolinians hold.
Our definition uses official population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census to generate county classifications. The Decennial Census is conducted every 10 years, with the last iteration collecting data in 2020, and it serves as the most accurate count of population in the United States available. Data for the Decennial Census at the county level was released in early 2021, and the NC Rural Center county classifications were updated soon after. They will stand until data for the next Decennial Census is released.
Our definition classifies counties as one of three types based on their population density: Rural, suburban/regional city, or urban. Those classifications are explained below, as well as the number of counties per each classification.
- 78 Rural Counties: 250 people or fewer per square mile
- 16 Suburban/Regional City Counties: Between 250 and 750 people per square mile
- 6 Urban Counties: 750 people or more per square mile
The interactive dashboard below shows the classification for each county, as well as its total population and population density.