FAQs

There are many different definitions used to classify rural areas and populations. For 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 Rural Data Central 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.

Yes. To download data from your query, hover over the top righthand corner of the bar chart and you will see a button for ‘more options.’ Select ‘Export Table’ to download a table of your query in MS Excel.

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 reliability index utilizes a coefficient of variation (CV) calculated for each county-level estimate presented from ACS data.

The Reliability Index for Rural Data Central is presented below:

• Green: High Reliability Estimate – CV less than 15 percent
• Yellow: Reliable Estimate – CV between 15 and 29.9 percent
• Red: Low Reliability Estimate – CV 30 percent or higher. Use caution when referring to or presenting Low Reliability Estimates. Please consult the Census Bureau for more information and guidance.
• Gray: Reliability Estimate Not Available

Reliability estimates in 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 Census of Population Housing and 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.

Respondents self-report their race and ethnicity data in the decennial Census and ACS.

Rural Data Central provides information at seven geographic levels: (1) Nation, (2) State, (3) County, (4) Census Tract, (5) Congressional District, (6) Tribal Tract, and (7) Continuum of Care (limited data). For information and data on cities, towns, places and other geographies, please consult the Census Bureau’s website.

Rural Data Central uses Census data to reflect actual population counts in the Rural People and Places Module only. In recent decades, Decennial Censuses do not provide extensive social, economic and housing data. The ACS five-year estimates provide additional information to inform social, economic, and housing indicators in the Society, Economy, and Housing modules of 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 the adequate 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 financial institutions with certain asset thresholds and those headquartered in a Metropolitan Area are required to report HMDA data. Consequently, an undetermined number of rural lending data is unavailable, as small and rural-headquartered financial institutions are not required to report lending information. Despite these limitations, HMDA provides the best available information on rural lending. For detailed information about the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data used in this database please consult the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: HMDA - Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.

The unemployment data provided in Rural Data Central is based on the Census Bureau’s ACS 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. For detailed information about the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics data used in this database, please consult the Bureau’s report: LAUS Estimation Methodology.

The information in Rural Data Central will be updated when new data are available. There will be at least two updates annually. HAC will strive to keep Rural Data Central as up to date and current as possible, but we cannot provide specific dates on when updates will occur.

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.