Data Projects

Rural Economic Data

Census and USDA data on business activity in every U.S. county, shown in visual form, so leaders can see where rural business is strong, where it is thin, and how it has moved since 2003. Every county is compared with rural counties nationally. Every tool names its sources and its limits.

This site describes. It does not grade places or advise where to move or invest.

Map of U.S. counties shaded by businesses per 1,000 residents
Interactive Map | Census data, 2023

Rural Business Map

Every U.S. county on three measures: businesses per resident, jobs by business size, and business locations opened, each compared with rural counties nationally.

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Map of U.S. counties shaded by the change in businesses per 1,000 residents from 2003 to 2023
Interactive Map | Census data, 2003 to 2023

Rural Business Change Map

How each county moved over 20 years: business density, openings minus closures, businesses with employees, and recent startup activity.

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Line chart of one county's businesses per 1,000 residents from 2003 to 2023 beside rural counties like it and the United States
Charts and Tables | Census and USDA, 2003 to 2023

Rural Business Trends

Pick a county and see its 20-year story beside its rural peers and the nation, or sort every county by any measure and download the table.

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Questions about the data?

Ask about the methods, the sources, or how your community compares.

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