Researchers at the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center studied county-level data to calculate provider-to-population ratios of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants and then compared those ratios between metropolitan, micropolitan, and non-core counties. Nationally, the provider-to-population ratio of family physicians is slightly higher in rural than urban areas, but the overall per capita supply of primary care providers remains substantially lower in rural areas than urban areas. Read more here.