I have written on how the Census Bureau has made it virtually
impossible to count ruralites versus urbanites. Here are sidebar notes
from an article on the subject:
• The share of the U.S. population considered rural ranges from 17 to
49 percent depending on the definition used.
• Rural definitions can be based on administrative, land-use, or
economic concepts, exhibiting considerable variation in socio-economic
characteristics and well-being of the measured population.
• For research projects and economic development programs alike, the
appropriate definition of rural will be that which meets the goals of
the endeavor.
I wonder how many of us might consider ourselves rural whom
officialdom deems urban.
From:
Defining the “Rural” in Rural America
The use of different definitions of rural by Federal agencies reflects
the multidimensional qualities of rural America.