The Stats on Abortion Access in Rural America
Nearly 19 million rural Americans live in states with the most restricted access to abortion. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, it became harder for women to access reproductive care, but the burden often disproportionately hurt rural women.
Compared to their urban and suburban counterparts, a greater share of the rural population lives in states with the most restrictive abortion legislation, according to my analysis of data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization that focuses on reproductive rights. About 46% of nonmetropolitan, or rural, Americans live in states with either ‘most restrictive’ or ‘very restrictive’ abortion legislation, representing 21.3 million people. In contrast, approximately 35% of metro Americans live in these states, representing roughly 99.1 million people.
Understanding State-Level Legislation
State-level abortion legislation is complex; it’s rarely as simple as an outright ban or permit. Abortion policies can include stipulations like:
- Waiting periods
- Ultrasound requirements
- Gestational duration bans
- Insurance coverage bans
- Telehealth bans
To deal with some of this complexity, the Guttmacher dataset groups states into one of seven categories that broadly captures the state’s access to abortion. These classifications include Most Restrictive and Very Restrictive categories.
Comparison of Impacted Populations
The following data highlights the difference in abortion access between rural and metropolitan populations based on restrictive legislation:
| Population Category | Percentage in Restrictive States | Estimated Population |
|---|---|---|
| Nonmetropolitan (Rural) | 46% | 21.3 million |
| Metropolitan (Urban) | 35% | 99.1 million |
The analysis shows that nearly 19 million rural Americans are specifically situated in states with the most restricted access to healthcare services of this nature.