Most Rural States in the U.S. 2025

Vermont

66.1%

Maine

61.5%

West Virginia

55.2%

Mississippi

54.4%

Montana

47.1%

Arkansas

43.9%

New Hampshire

42.4%

South Dakota

42.3%

Alabama

42%

Kentucky

41.6%

North Dakota

39.3%

Wyoming

37.4%

Iowa

37.3%

Oklahoma

35.8%

Alaska

35.1%

Tennessee

34.7%

Wisconsin

33.6%

North Carolina

33.3%

South Carolina

31.8%

Idaho

30.8%

Missouri

30.8%

Louisiana

29.1%

Indiana

28.9%

Minnesota

28.9%

Kansas

28.2%

Nebraska

28.1%

Michigan

27.1%

Georgia

26.6%

Virginia

24.9%

New Mexico

24.7%

Ohio

24%

Pennsylvania

23.6%

Oregon

19.7%

Delaware

17.9%

Texas

17%

Washington

16.6%

Maryland

14.7%

Colorado

14.4%

Hawaii

14%

Connecticut

13.8%

Illinois

13.2%

New York

12.9%

Arizona

11.5%

Utah

10.8%

Rhode Island

9.7%

Florida

9.1%

Massachusetts

8.9%

New Jersey

6.3%

Nevada

6.2%

California

5.8%

State	Rural Population 2023↓	Rural Land Area 2010	Rural Population Density 2010 (people / mi²)
Vermont	66.1%	98.3%	42.2
Maine	61.5%	98.8%	26.7
West Virginia	55.2%	97.3%	40.6
Mississippi	54.4%	97.6%	32.8
Montana	47.1%	99.8%	3.0
Arkansas	43.9%	97.9%	25.1
New Hampshire	42.4%	92.8%	62.9
South Dakota	42.3%	99.7%	4.7
Alabama	42%	95.6%	40.4
Kentucky	41.6%	96.4%	47.4
North Dakota	39.3%	99.7%	3.9
Wyoming	37.4%	99.8%	2.0
Iowa	37.3%	98.3%	20.0
Oklahoma	35.8%	98.1%	18.8
Alaska	35.1%	100%	0.4
Tennessee	34.7%	93%	55.6
Wisconsin	33.6%	96.5%	32.5
North Carolina	33.3%	90.5%	73.5
South Carolina	31.8%	92.1%	56.3
Idaho	30.8%	99.4%	5.6
Missouri	30.8%	97%	26.6
Louisiana	29.1%	95.4%	29.5
Indiana	28.9%	93%	53.7
Minnesota	28.9%	97.9%	18.2
Kansas	28.2%	98.8%	9.1
Nebraska	28.1%	99.3%	6.4
Michigan	27.1%	93.6%	47.5
Georgia	26.6%	91.7%	45.8
Virginia	24.9%	93.3%	53.3
New Mexico	24.7%	99.3%	3.9
Ohio	24%	89.2%	69.9
Pennsylvania	23.6%	89.5%	67.7
Oregon	19.7%	98.9%	7.7
Delaware	17.9%	79.1%	97.3
Texas	17%	96.7%	15.2
Washington	16.6%	96.4%	16.7
Maryland	14.7%	79.4%	96.0
Colorado	14.4%	98.5%	6.8
Hawaii	14%	93.9%	18.2
Connecticut	13.8%	62.3%	142.0
Illinois	13.2%	92.9%	28.6
New York	12.9%	91.3%	54.6
Arizona	11.5%	98.1%	5.8
Utah	10.8%	98.9%	3.2
Rhode Island	9.7%	61.3%	154.0
Florida	9.1%	86.2%	35.9
Massachusetts	8.9%	61.7%	109.0
New Jersey	6.3%	60.3%	106.0
Nevada	6.2%	99.3%	1.4
California	5.8%	94.7%	12.7

The notion of “most rural” is open to some debate. For example, if most rural is the state with the highest percentage of rural land, Alaska is easily the winner. However, many of Alaska’s residents are concentrated in the state’s few population centers, whereas several states, especially Northeastern states such as Maine and Vermont, have a higher percentage of people living outside the major population centers. In a sense, this could make Maine the most rural state in the union.

Even though a lot of the United States is, by definition, rural, very little of the population fully resides in rural areas. Though many speak of how nice it would be to move out to the country, it makes sense that few actually do so.

“Rural” is a theoretical concept that most people are familiar with, but it is defined by the Census Bureau as just about anything not in an urban area. Because of how closely related they are, the Bureau has introduced two terms:

Urbanized areas: places that are “continuously built-up… with a population of 50,000 or more.”
Urban clusters: “areas containing at least 2,500 and less than 50,000 people.”

According to the Department of Agriculture, in 2020, about 76% of the U.S. population was located in urban areas. This means that the urban population is 285,443,646, and the rural population is roughly 46 million.

The Census Bureau will be releasing rural and urban population-related data in early 2023, which is why in the tables below, we use 2010 Census data.

Characteristics of Rural Areas

Researchers and policy officials have used several definitions to distinguish rural areas from urban areas, which has created confusion. This also highlights that rural and urban are multidimensional concepts. Rural areas are sometimes defined by population density and geographic isolation, but, generally, rural areas share the following characteristics: a small population size, a generally low population density, a lower cost of living, lower wages, and, consequently, higher poverty rates; lots of farmland, ranch land, nature; less access to shopping, doctors, and other services; and an aging population.

Americans in rural areas are increasingly well-educated in recent decades. In 1970, 56% of rural adults 25 and older did not have a high school diploma, which decreased to 15% in 2015. Additionally, about 3 out of 10 rural adults have a Bachelor’s degree or higher.

Historically, urban areas have had a higher percentage of adults with college degrees. Education is correlated with economic outcomes, so lower educational attainment in rural areas is closely related to higher poverty rates, child poverty rates, and higher unemployment rates. Urban areas tend to have more employment opportunities, and higher wages allow more adults to get college degrees.

Top 10 States with the Most Rural Population

State	Rural Population 2023
Vermont	66.1%
Maine	61.5%
West Virginia	55.2%
Mississippi	54.4%
Montana	47.1%
Arkansas	43.9%
New Hampshire	42.4%
South Dakota	42.3%
Alabama	42%
Kentucky	41.6%

According to the Census Bureau, most of the rural population is clustered within the vicinity of urban areas. This is common because rural farms often serve the needs of rural communities and nearby cities.

Perceptions of rural areas vary among Americans. Some see rural Americans as the backbone of the nations, supplying food and representing individualism and self-sufficiency. On the other hand, some see rural Americans as burdened by poor job opportunities and low wages, causing persistent poverty.