U.S. Counties by Rural-Urban Continuum Codes in 2003 (PDF: 1.0MB)
Developed after each decennial census, the rural-urban continuum codes are an effort by the Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to measure the degree of rurality, or relative isolation, in a county. Codes are applied to all U.S. counties and county equivalents in 2003, based on their metropolitan-nonmetropolitan status and size of their metropolitan or urban populations. (April 2004)

Child Poverty in Rural America (PDF: 484KB)

This report explores the well-being of the 14 million children who live in rural America. Rural families represent a significant share of our total population and they are disproportionately poor, less educated, and underemployed. Yet poor children and the unique challenges they face are often overlooked by policymakers. (March 2004)

Transitions in World Population (PDF: 249KB)
This Population Bulletin chronicles changes in world population in the last century, with a particular focus on the last 50 years. It examines the social and economic factors that affect population change, including wide disparities in income, education, and women's status within countries. It also discusses the heightened international concern since the 1950s about rapid population growth, widespread fertility declines, and the new world consensus reached in the 1990s about how best to respond to population trends.  (BUL59.1, March 2004)

Manufactured Homes a Big Factor in Rural Homeownership in U.S.
The dream of owning one’s home has come true, nowhere more so than in rural areas of the United States. The homeownership rate in rural America is 74 percent, compared with 65 percent in urban areas, according to the 2000 Census. But another statistic--the number of residents living in manufactured homes--shows in part why homeownership is so high in rural areas. In nonmetro locations, mobile homes account for 18 percent of all housing units, compared with 6 percent in metro areas and 8 percent for the nation as a whole. (March 2004)

U.S. Marriage Promotion Plan Must Consider Social, Economic Context to Succeed
President Bush’s $1.5 billion proposal to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples, is likely to have mixed results at best. Preventing unwed childbearing may be more important than promoting marriage in keeping women and children out of poverty. (March 2004)

Economic, Social, and Demographic Losses and Gains Among American Indians
Members of the 558 federally recognized American Indian tribes are found throughout the United States. Their population is relatively young, with a median age of 28 years; and they have comparatively large families of 3.6 people. American Indians have lower median incomes than the general population, but they need to provide for a proportionately larger pool of dependent youths and children. Furthermore, the high school dropout rate for American Indians is much higher than average and they experience a much higher rate of child poverty than is the case in the general population. (January 2004)

Facing Child Poverty in Rural America
One of the challenges in reducing child poverty in America's rural areas is the diversity of the rural poor. For many people, the term "urban poverty" conjures up a mental image of minority families living in disadvantaged inner city neighborhoods. In contrast, rural poverty has many faces. Selected descriptions of high-poverty rural counties illustrate their racial and ethnic variety and their residents' widely different circumstances. (January 2004)

Asian-American Children Are Members of a Diverse and Urban Population
Asian Americans are the most diverse racial/ethnic group in the United States in terms of language, religion, and customs. They are a relatively small proportion of the population, but they have a history of collaboration and coalition work extending from Maui to Manhattan, forming diverse groups at local to international levels. (January 2004)

Is America Settling Down?
Most Americans consider their population very mobile but, in fact, U.S. citizens now make fewer long-distance moves. (November 2003)

Politics and Science in Census Taking

 Author Kenneth Prewitt shows how policymaking, democratic principles, partisan politics, and science come together in the census, especially in Census 2000. The following excerpt is from the report "Politics and Science in Census Taking"; published by the Russell Sage Foundation and the Population Reference Bureau.(November 2003)