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Virginia Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who live in a rural area
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who live in a rural area
0.0% - 15.4%
15.5% - 26.9%
27.0% - 34.8%
34.9% - 45.3%
45.4% - 68.5%
No Data
US Value: 24.1%
Top State(s): New Jersey: 7.3%
Bottom State(s): Vermont: 68.5%
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older who live in a rural area
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Dataset, 2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Dataset, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Residents of rural areas are older on average than their urban counterparts and at greater risk for poor health outcomes. Rural areas are often underresourced and face unique challenges regarding the social determinants of health. These challenges are associated with a preventable hospitalization rate 40% higher than that of urban populations and a mortality rate 23% higher. Rural residents also have higher rates of cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and obesity.
In 2023, the number of older adults living in rural areas in the United States grew to 9.7 million, while the working-age rural population shrank. The health of rural populations is impacted by a complex mix of economic, social, racial, ethnic and geographic factors. Financial insecurity, remote location, lower socioeconomic status and higher rates of unhealthy behaviors contribute to the significant health disparities between rural and urban populations. Furthermore, geographic isolation and shortages in the health care workforce make access to care a very serious challenge for rural populations. As rural residents age and their health needs increase, their already-limited access to necessary services may further decrease if they have mobility impairments or rely on caregivers for transportation.
Addressing rural health disparities requires special policy considerations at all levels of the government and community. In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the Rural Public Health Strategic Plan to reduce health disparities and improve public health in rural areas. The CDC recommends that health care providers in rural areas focus on certain areas for improvement, such as:
The Center for Health Care Strategies also emphasizes expanding the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a patient-centered care program that addresses the social determinants of health and focuses on integrating community-based care models.
Older adults can use the National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp tool to find out more about what kind of assistance they may be eligible for and the Administration on Aging’s Eldercare Locator to find programs near them.
Farrigan, Tracey, Brandon Genetin, Austin Sanders, John Pender, Kelsey L. Thomas, Richelle Winkler, and John Cromartie. Rural America at a Glance: 2024 Edition. Economic Information Bulletin Number 282. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, November 2024. https://doi.org/10.32747/2024.8722498.ers.
Johnston, Kenton J., Hefei Wen, and Karen E. Joynt Maddox. “Lack Of Access To Specialists Associated With Mortality And Preventable Hospitalizations Of Rural Medicare Beneficiaries.” Health Affairs 38, no. 12 (December 1, 2019): 1993–2002.https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00838.
America’s Health Rankings builds on the work of the United Health Foundation to draw attention to public health and better understand the health of various populations. Our platform provides relevant information that policymakers, public health officials, advocates and leaders can use to effect change in their communities.
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