Urban and Rural Variation in Fertility-related Behavior Among U.S. Women, 2011-2015.

In 2010, one-fifth of the U.S. population lived in rural areas (1). There is known variation in social, demographic, and health characteristics across urban and rural residence (1–3). Recent National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reports show higher teen birth and infant mortality rates in rural counties than in urban counties (4,5). Less is known about urban and rural variation in fertility-related behavior, such as sexual activity and contraceptive use. Using National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data from 2011 through 2015 for women aged 18–44, this report describes urban-rural differences in first sexual intercourse, marital and cohabitation status, number of births, and contraceptive use based on residence at the time of interview. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.