Rural Health Research Center Center for Workforce Studies Regional Information Center

RUCA Version 1.1

RUCA Code Definitions

1. Urban core Census tract

[primary flow within Census Bureau defined Urbanized Area (metro>= 50,000)]

1.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to larger urbanized area

1.0 otherwise

2. Census tract strongly tied to urban core

[primary flow to Census Bureau defined Urbanized Area (>30%)]

2.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to larger urbanized area)

2.2 combined flows to urbanized areas of >30% and greater than primary flow

2.0 otherwise

3. Census tract weakly tied to urban core

[primary flow to Census Bureau defined Urbanized Area but 5-30%]

3.0 --

4. Large town Census tract

[primary flow within large Census Bureau defined Urban Place (10,000-49,999 & >30%)]

4.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to urbanized area

4.0 otherwise

5. Census tract strongly tied to large town

[primary flow to large Census Bureau defined Urban Place (>30%)]

5.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to urbanized area

5.0 otherwise

6. Census tract weakly tied to large town

[primary flow to large Census Bureau defined Urban Place (5-30%)]

6.0 --

7. Small town Census tract

[primary flow within small Census Bureau defined Urban Place (>= 2,500 & <10,000 & >30%)]

7.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to urbanized area

7.2 secondary flow (30-50%) to large urban place

7.3 secondary flow (5-30%) to urbanized area

7.4 secondary flow (5-30%) to large urban place

7.0 otherwise

8. Census tract strongly tied to small town

[primary flow to a small Census Bureau defined Urban Place (>30%)]

8.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to urbanized area

8.2 secondary flow (30-50%) to large urban place

8.3 secondary flow (5-30%) to urbanized area

8.4 secondary flow (5-30%) to large urban place

8.0 otherwise

9. Census tract weakly tied to small town

[primary flow to a small Census Bureau defined Urban Place (5-30%)]

9.1 secondary flow (5-30%) to urbanized area

9.2 secondary flow (5-30%) to large urban place

9.0 otherwise

10. Isolated small rural Census tract (remaining rural tracts)

[no primary flows over 5% to any Census Bureau defined Urbanized Area (metro), large Urban Place, or small Urban Place]

10.1 secondary flow (30-50%) to urbanized area

10.2 secondary flow (30-50%) to large urban place

10.3 secondary flow (30-50%) to small urban place

10.4 secondary flow (5-30%) to urbanized area

10.5 secondary flow (5-30%) to large urban place

10.0 otherwise