FAQs

There are many different definitions used to classify rural areas and populations. For the Rural Data Central, The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) incorporates a specific definition to present data for rural & small-town, suburban and exurban, and urban areas. These classifications are largely based on a measure of housing density (housing units per square mile) and commuting. It is important to note that the definition of rural and small-town areas in the Rural Data Central are NOT the same as OMB Outside Metropolitan Area or Census defined Rural Area classifications. For more information about defining rural in the Data Portal please consult: About the Data.

Yes! An enhanced feature of Rural Data Central is the ability to select and include multiple geographies in a data query. To include multiple geographies in a data query, during Step 3 in the process, select the control key and then select as many geographies as you wish from the Area dropdown box. Rural Data Central will automatically calculate and present data for the custom geography you selected.

HAC’s Rural Data Central presents a reliability index to help users determine the statistical accuracy of data estimates presented from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). The Portal’s reliability index utilizes a coefficient of variation (CV) calculated for each county-level estimate presented from ACS data. The Reliability Index for the Rural Data Central is presented below: Green = High Reliability Estimate – Coefficient of Variation (CV) less than 15 percent, Yellow = Reliable Estimate – Coefficient of Variation (CV) between 15 percent and 29.9 percent, Red = Low Reliability Estimate - Coefficient of Variation (CV) 30 percent or higher. Use caution when referring to or presenting this estimate. Please consult the Census Bureau for more information and guidance. Gray = Reliability Estimate Not Available.

Reliability estimates in the Rural Data Central are only presented for county-level data that derive from American Community Survey (ACS) data. Generally, ACS survey samples are large enough at higher levels of geography (nation and state) that data estimates are largely reliable. Reliability estimates are also not presented for county-level data from the 2020 Census of Population Housing and 2020 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data. These data sources do not permit the calculation of a reliability estimate.

No. A low (red) reliability indicator is essentially a caution and a suggestion to review the data estimate more closely. For estimates with a red reliability code (or high coefficient of variation), we advise users to consult the Census website and review the specific margin of error to make a determination on whether or not to use these data.

The respondent's self-report ACS and decennial Census race and ethnicity data.

No. The Rural Data Central only provides information at three geographic levels: (1) nation, (2) states, and (3) counties. For information and data on cities, towns, and other geographies, please consult the Census Bureau’s American Fact Finder.

The Rural Data Central uses Census 2020 data where possible as these data reflect actual counts and not estimates. However, Census 2020 does not provide extensive social characteristics data. The ACS five-year estimates provide additional information to inform social, economic, and housing indicators in the Rural Data Central.

Decennial census population data reflects a count of people during a given year while ACS data reflects an estimate based on data pooled over five years. As a result, even when the data overlaps the year of coverage, the data count or estimate may be different

Only ACS’s five-year estimates provide data for all geographies. For example, Rural Data Central would not contain estimates for small, rural counties with fewer than 65,000 residents if ACS one-year estimates were used.

In many cases, estimates made at sub-county geographic levels involve very small populations. As a result, these sub-county level estimates may lack enough precision and information for statistical reliability.

While HMDA data are a critical resource to understanding lending trends, the limitations of these data in rural areas must be acknowledged. Only those financial institutions with assets of $39 million or more that were headquartered in a metropolitan area were required to report HMDA data in 2020. Consequently, an undetermined number of rural lending data is unavailable as many small rural financial institutions are not required to report lending information. Despite these limitations, HMDA provides the best available information on rural lending.

The unemployment data provided in the Rural Data Central is based on the ACS 2016-2020 five-year estimates. The proportion of residents unemployed will most likely vary from the monthly estimates generated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). If a current unemployment rate or figure is needed, the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) should be consulted. The BLS LAUS program produces monthly and annual employment, unemployment, and labor force data for Census regions and divisions, states, counties, metropolitan areas, and many cities.

Yes, the Rural Data Central will be updated periodically as new data become available, such as the 2020 Census, ACS data, or other updated sources.

The Rural Data Central includes data at the national, state, and county levels. The system is designed to provide easy access to rural-relevant data.

The American Community Survey (ACS) data are updated annually in the Rural Data Central. ACS data is based on a sample of households and is released every year, with five-year estimates providing data for smaller geographies like counties.

You can access data sources such as the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA), and others directly through the Rural Data Central or by visiting the respective data providers' websites.

Yes, data from the Rural Data Central is available for download in various formats. This allows users to perform their own analysis and reporting.

Yes, the Rural Data Central is a free resource provided by the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) for public use.

For custom data requests or analyses beyond what is available on the Rural Data Central, you can contact the Housing Assistance Council (HAC) directly for assistance.

You can subscribe to the Housing Assistance Council's (HAC) newsletter or check the Rural Data Central website periodically for updates and new data releases.

The information in the Federally Assisted Housing module includes annual updates on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Housing program obligations, as well as characteristics of HUD-assisted properties for the current fiscal or calendar year.

A closed-end loan is a loan for a fixed amount and set for repayment over a set time. A standard home mortgage is a closed-end loan. An open-end loan is a loan that provides continuous access to funds, up to a set limit. A home equity line of credit is an open-ended loan.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act collects data from reporters on denial reasons. A reporter can select up to 3 different loan denial reasons. As such a loan could be denied for both credit history and debt to income - not an exclusive classification. The data presented provides a count for each stated reason.

As presented, the ACS data includes already calculated median values, not the raw data from which it can be calculated, for all Census geographies. The rurality geography is created by HAC and the ACS provides no statistically reliable method to calculate medians for additional geographies.

Most geographies do vary over time, some much more than others. Most changes occur every ten years after the Census Bureau's decennial population count. State geographies are unchanged, and county geographies do sometimes change but not often. Census tracts and tribal tracts change every ten years, and the number of census tracts has always increased reflecting growth in the United States population. Congressional districts change every ten years too, while the total number (435) remains the same, their location (number in each state) and/or boundaries will often vary. The Continuum of Care (CoC) geography can change more often, and these changes do not follow set times. As such, CoCs can be less stable and difficult to evaluate, particularly regarding change, over time.