TABLE 1—

US Department of Agriculture Rural–Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Code Definitions

RUCA Code	Definition	Study Grouping	1998 US Population in RUCA Category, %	Veteran Respondents in RUCA Category (n = 767 109), %	Mean PCS Score	Mean MCS Score
1	Metropolitan area	Urban	65.5	56.4	36.80	45.48
2	≥30% commuting to metropolitan area	Suburban	9.8	8.1	34.81	45.08
3	5%–30% commuting to metropolitan area	Suburban	0.3	0.4	34.28	44.40
4	Large town (10 000–49 999 residents)	Suburban	6.6	10.0	34.55	44.79
5	≥30% commuting to large town	Suburban	3.4	3.5	33.85	44.60
6	5%–30% commuting to large town	Suburban	0.3	0.4	33.74	44.10
7	Small town core (2500 to 9999 residents)	Rural	5.0	8.7	33.54	44.40
8	≥30% commuting to small town	Rural	2.3	2.6	32.97	43.96
9	5%–30% commuting to small town	Rural	0.3	0.5	33.81	44.82
10	Primary flow to tract without town of ≥2500 residents	Rural	6.4	9.6	33.35	44.61

Note. PCS = physical health component summary; MCS = mental health component summary.