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The Rural Matters Podcast

When we think about the United States, we have a tendency to think mostly about its cities or more densely-populated areas. However, this kind of thinking can potentially leave out significant portions of the population that are currently living in our country's rural areas. For example, in Oklahoma, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services, around 59% of the 3 9 million folks that call this place home live in cities: the rest are considered 'rural ' But what does that even mean in 2023?

In the first installment of a series with the Brookings Institution, the host of Rural Matters chats with Mark Rembert, Director of Research & Knowledge and the Center on Rural Innovation (CORI) Together, they discuss common misconceptions about rural America, how data and research can combat those misconceptions and deepen the broader understanding of America holistically.

"We don't have a clear way of defining rural America."

"In 2020, there were nearly 14 million rural people identifying as Black, Hispanic or Latino, Native American, Asian or multiracial and that population is larger than NYC and LA combined."

What are some conclusions about who lives in rural America and their dependence or independence from those who live in cities?

The Rural Matters podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.