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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 22-973

NOTICES

CENTER FOR
RURAL PENNSYLVANIA

Definition of Rural and Urban Counties in this Commonwealth, School Districts and Municipalities

[52 Pa.B. 3681]
[Saturday, July 2, 2022]

 Following each decennial Census, the Center for Rural Pennsylvania (Center) revises their rural/urban definitions, which are based on Statewide population density, to identify rural and urban counties in this Commonwealth, school districts and municipalities. According to the 2020 Census, the population of this Commonwealth is 13,002,700 and the number of square miles of land in this Commonwealth is 44,742. Therefore, the population density is 291 people per square mile.

 In October 2021, the Center's Board of Directors approved the updated definition of rural/urban counties and school districts. In May 2022, the Board of Directors approved the updated definition of rural/urban municipalities.

 The following provides the definition for each classification.

County or School District Definition

 A county or school district is rural when the number of people per square mile within the county or school district is fewer than 291. Counties and school districts that have 291 people or more per square mile are considered urban.

Municipal Definition

 A municipality is rural when the number of people per square mile in the municipality is fewer than 291 or the municipality is in a rural county and has fewer than 2,500 residents. Other municipalities are considered urban.

 According to the Center's definition, there are 48 rural counties and 19 urban counties in this Commonwealth.

 At the school district level, 238 of this Commonwealth's 500 public school districts are rural and 262 public school districts are urban.

 At the municipal level, 1,649, 64%, of this Commonwealth's 2,560 municipalities are rural and 911 municipalities, 36%, are urban.

 For complete lists of counties, school districts and municipalities by rural/urban classification, individuals can visit https://www.rural.pa.gov/data/rural-urban-definitions (last accessed June 16, 2022).

KYLE C. KOPKO, 
Executive Director

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 22-973. Filed for public inspection July 1, 2022, 9:00 a.m.]


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