NERHA

Who is NERHA?

The New England Rural Health Association (NERHA), previously known as the New England Rural Health Roundtable, was established in 1997, with funding from the National Rural Health Association (NRHA). NERHA is committed to improving the health and well-being of rural communities throughout the six New England states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

What does NERHA do?

NERHA is unique as the only regional rural health association in the country, enabling the sharing of learning and best practices across all six states. NERHA has a wide variety of members across all sectors of healthcare professions, stakeholders, and the community, including Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, community health centers, behavioral health and substance use, oral health/dental, social services, community-based organizations, academic institutions, and individuals who are passionate about rural health.

NERHA works with rural communities across New England to support healthy redevelopment, community-driven planning, and environmental health education related to brownfields and contaminated sites.

More Details:

 

Rural definitions

“Rural” generally refers to places that are outside of cities and large suburban areas, but there isn’t just one definition. Different organizations define it slightly differently depending on population, land use, and access to services.

By Population Size

 

  • Rural areas are often defined by how many people live there.
  • Small towns or communities with low population
  • Often fewer than 2,500–50,000 people depending on the definition used
  • Fewer people spread over larger geographic areas

By Population Density

 

  • This focuses on how spread out people are.
  • Fewer people per square mile
  • Homes, businesses, and services are physically farther apart
  • More open land, farms, forests, or natural areas

 

By Distance From Urban Centers

 

  • Rural can be defined by how far a place is from a city.
  • Far from metropolitan areas
  • Limited easy access to major hospitals, universities, or large job centers
  • Longer travel times for basic services

 

Federal government definitions (U.S.) also vary by federal agencies.

 

U.S. Census Bureau

  • Rural = everything that is not urban
  • Urban = densely populated areas and surrounding high-density zones

USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

  • Defines rural based on county types and population size
  • Often used for funding and rural development programs

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

  • Defines rural areas based on health access, workforce availability, and service delivery needs
  • Rural = areas designated as having limited access to healthcare services and/or experiencing provider shortages

Rural Datasets

Use the resources below when applying for Brownfields funding to demonstrate your community's need and rural challenges. For more information, visit the webinar: Rural Communities and Grant Opportunities

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Rural Data Explorer

by Rural Health Information Hub

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Rural Data Explorer RHI Hub: This resource provides county-level annual data on key indicators, including demographics, poverty, healthcare access, workforce shortages, and other socioeconomic and health measures. It offers a concise, searchable way to explore and compare rural and national data to better understand community conditions, health access, and population-level trends.

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State Fact Sheets

by USDA

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State Fact Sheets USDA: The USDA ERS State Fact Sheets provide state-level data on population, demographics, income, poverty, employment, and earnings, along with economic structure and industry breakdowns. They also include agricultural information such as farm numbers and size, farm income, major commodities, and agricultural exports, offering a concise snapshot of each state’s socioeconomic and rural context.

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Rural Data Analysis Tool

by NERHA

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Rural Data Analysis Tool: The NERHA Rural Data Analysis Tool provides an interactive, map-based platform for exploring rural health and demographic conditions across New England. It includes county-level data and visualizations that allow users to compare rural and urban areas using indicators such as population characteristics, socioeconomic conditions, health outcomes, access to care, insurance coverage, and other social determinants of health. The tool is designed to highlight rural–urban disparities and supports exploration of multiple data layers across states and counties, enabling users to better understand geographic differences in health and wellbeing across the region. 

NERHA & UConn TAB Webinars