Residents of rural areas are significantly more likely to be married and live in the state they were born than people who live in urban communities. That’s according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community survey comparing the two areas.
The new numbers show that roughly 47 million adults live in rural areas. That’s about one-fifth of the U.S. population.
Not all rural counties are created equal.
On the east coast many rural communities are centered around manufacturing. In states like Arizona, rural counties are made up largely by Native American reservations and ranching operations.
By 2015 urban residents were 22 percent less likely to own a house than rural. They were also 10 percent less likely to be married than their rural counterparts.
However, both communities saw median household incomes within the $50,000 range.
