How widespread is poverty and food insecurity in rural America?
The U.S. Census Bureau defines rural areas as those that comprise open country and settlements with fewer than 2,500 residents. There are 2,052 counties in the U.S., they make up 75% of the nations land, and are home to 17% of the U.S. population. Rural Americans make up one-fifth of the US population but are spread across four-fifths if the land area. The USDA reports that 14.2% of rural Americans live in poverty and 13.1% of rural Americans experience hunger and food insecurity.
