What challenges do the two definitions present? Micro area (urban core of 10,000-49,9999 people)Īfter the 2010 Census, the non-metro counties contained 46.2 million people, about 15% of the population and covered 72% of the land area of the country. Metro area (urban core of 50,000 or more people) OMB decides which counties are metropolitan (metro), micropolitan (micro), or neither. Urban Clusters (UCs) of 2,500 - 49,999 peopleĪfter the 2010 Census, they classified 19.3% of the population (59.5 million people) and 97% of the land area as rural.Urbanized Areas (UAs) of 50,000 or more people.The Census does not define “rural.” They consider “rural” to include all people, housing, and territory that are not within an urban area. We use these definitions and Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes to create our own definition. The United States Census Bureau (Census) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) define rural areas.

Use the Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer. People who live in areas that we define as rural are eligible to benefit from our programs.

Definition of townships