§1490 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Defines which places count as "rural" or "rural area" for this part of the law. It includes open country and towns that are not part of an urban area, except for Pajaro, California, and Guadalupe, Arizona, which are treated as rural here. A place is rural if it has 2,500 or fewer people; or has more than 2,500 but not more than 10,000 people and is rural in character; or has more than 10,000 but not more than 20,000 people and is not inside a standard metropolitan statistical area and has a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower- and moderate-income families, as decided by the Secretary and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Areas already called rural before October 1, 1990, or treated as rural under other law between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2020, keep that rural classification until census data from 2030 if they have more than 10,000 but not more than 35,000 people, are rural in character, and lack mortgage credit for lower- and moderate-income families. Plainview, Texas is counted as rural under this part, and Altus, Oklahoma was counted as rural until census data in 2000.

Title 42, §1490

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this subchapter, the terms “rural” and “rural area” mean any open country, or any place, town, village, or city which is not (except in the cases of Pajaro, in the State of California, and Guadalupe, in the State of Arizona) part of or associated with an urban area and which (1) has a population not in excess of 2,500 inhabitants, or (2) has a population in excess of 2,500 but not in excess of 10,000 if it is rural in character, or (3) has a population in excess of 10,000 but not in excess of 20,000, and (A) is not contained within a standard metropolitan statistical area, and (B) has a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower and moderate-income families, as determined by the Secretary and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. For purposes of this subchapter, any area classified as “rural” or a “rural area” prior to October 1, 1990, and determined not to be “rural” or a “rural area” as a result of data received from or after the 1990, 2000, 2010, or 2020 decennial census, and any area deemed to be a “rural area” for purposes of this subchapter under any other provision of law at any time during the period beginning January 1, 2000, and ending December 31, 2020, shall continue to be so classified until the receipt of data from the decennial census in the year 2030, if such area has a population in excess of 10,000 but not in excess of 35,000, is rural in character, and has a serious lack of mortgage credit for lower and moderate-income families. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the city of Plainview, Texas, shall be considered a rural area for purposes of this subchapter, and the city of Altus, Oklahoma, shall be considered a rural area for purposes of this subchapter until the receipt of data from the decennial census in the year 2000.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–334 substituted “2010, or 2020 decennial census” for “or 2010 decennial census”, “

December 31, 2020,” for “

December 31, 2010,”, and “year 2030” for “year 2020”. 2014—Pub. L. 113–79 substituted “1990, 2000, or 2010 decennial census, and any area deemed to be a ‘rural area’ for purposes of this subchapter under any other provision of law at any time during the period beginning

January 1, 2000, and ending

December 31, 2010, shall continue to be so classified until the receipt of data from the decennial census in the year 2020” for “1990 or 2000 decennial census shall continue to be so classified until the receipt of data from the decennial census in the year 2010” and “35,000” for “25,000”. 2000—Pub. L. 106–554 and Pub. L. 106–569 amended second sentence identically, substituting “1990 or 2000 decennial census” for “1990 decennial census” and “year 2010” for “year 2000”. 1998—Pub. L. 105–276 inserted before period at end “, and the city of Altus, Oklahoma, shall be considered a rural area for purposes of this subchapter until the receipt of data from the decennial census in the year 2000”. 1992—Pub. L. 102–550 inserted at end “Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the city of Plainview, Texas, shall be considered a rural area for purposes of this subchapter.” 1990—Pub. L. 101–625 substituted “cases” for “case” in first sentence, inserted “, and Guadalupe, in the State of Arizona” after “California”, and substituted last sentence for “For purposes of this subchapter, any area classified as ‘rural’ or a ‘rural area’ prior to the receipt of data from or after the 1980 decennial census and determined not to be ‘rural’ or a ‘rural area’ as a result of such data shall continue to be so classified through

September 30, 1990, if such area has a population in excess of 10,000 but not in excess of 20,000.” 1989—Pub. L. 101–137 substituted “

September 30, 1990” for “

September 30, 1989”. 1988—Pub. L. 100–242 added parenthetical exception for Pajaro, in the State of California, and substituted “

September 30, 1989” for “

March 15, 1988”. 1987—Pub. L. 100–200 substituted “

March 15, 1988” for “

December 16, 1987”. Pub. L. 100–179 substituted “

December 16, 1987” for “

December 2, 1987”. Pub. L. 100–170 substituted “

December 2, 1987” for “

November 15, 1987”. Pub. L. 100–154 substituted “

November 15, 1987” for “

October 31, 1987”. Pub. L. 100–122 substituted “

October 31, 1987” for “

September 30, 1987”. 1986—Pub. L. 99–430 substituted “

September 30, 1987” for “

September 30, 1986”. Pub. L. 99–345 substituted “

September 30, 1986” for “

June 6, 1986”. Pub. L. 99–289 substituted “

June 6, 1986” for “

April 30, 1986”. Pub. L. 99–272 directed amendment identical to Pub. L. 99–219, substituting “

March 17, 1986” for “

December 15, 1985”. Pub. L. 99–267 substituted “

April 30, 1986” for “

March 17, 1986”. 1985—Pub. L. 99–219 substituted “

March 17, 1986” for “

December 15, 1985”. Pub. L. 99–156 substituted “

December 15, 1985” for “

November 14, 1985”. Pub. L. 99–120 substituted “

November 14, 1985” for “the end of fiscal year 1985”. 1984—Pub. L. 98–479 substituted “1985” for “1984”. 1983—Pub. L. 98–181 inserted provisions relating to applicability of this subchapter through fiscal year 1984 to areas classified pursuant to 1980 decennial census. 1976—Cl. (3)(B). Pub. L. 94–375 inserted “for lower and moderate-income families” after “has a serious lack of mortgage credit”. 1974—Cl. (3). Pub. L. 93–383 added cl. (3). 1970—Pub. L. 91–609 substituted as upper population limit “10,000” for “5,500”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1990 Amendment Pub. L. 101–625, title VII, § 715(b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4296, provided that: “The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply with respect to classification of rural areas for fiscal year 1991 and any fiscal year thereafter.”

§1490 “Rural” and “rural area” defined