The County as a Unit of Analysis in Rural Sociology

County level data is readily available for secondary data analysis. Many researchers in a variety of fields take advantage of this. In rural sociology, counties have served as a unit of analysis for studies on income... [ view full abstract ]

County level data is readily available for secondary data analysis. Many researchers in a variety of fields take advantage of this. In rural sociology, counties have served as a unit of analysis for studies on income inequality, mortality, segregation, migration, farming practices, financial services availability, and many more. This paper explores the use of county level data in articles published in Rural Sociology during the past twenty years, as well as variations in designations of counties by the US Census Bureau during that time. Counties vary dramatically across the United States, in terms of area, population, designation as metropolitan or metro-adjacent, and in terms of the role they play in terms of services provided and how residents identify with them, which creates challenges for researchers relying on them for comparability across geographies. This study will: reveal what types of problems rural sociologists are working on using county level data; will assess the implications of this choice of unit of analysis in terms of presenting convincing evidence to the public and policy makers; and consider the best practices for adopting the county as a unit of analysis in rural sociological research.