NCR-Stat is a North Central regional dataset being developed as a venue and incentive for interdisciplinary collaboration across states and across research and Extension.
North Central Region Household Dataset
The purpose of the NCR-Stat dataset is to decrease the barriers for institutions to study regional changes and conduct comparative research, as well as increase regional collaboration for both research and Extension.
NCRCRD will facilitate regional collaboration for: survey development, data collection methods, data analysis that leads to publications, and educational curricula. The regional dataset will also enhance collaboration between high- and low-resource institutions across the region. Institutions could choose to oversample their states and researchers could provide funds to include focused topics to the survey.
Datasets for Other Regions:
In collaboration with our sister centers – the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD) and the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), the NCRCRD conducted surveys in the Northeast and Southern regions. The surveys conducted replicate the surveys used in the North Central Region and expands research opportunities between regions. Currently available datasets: NER-Stat: Caregiving, NER-Stat: Baseline 2024, and SR-Stat: Baseline 2024. Select the appropriate tabs below to connect with these regional datasets.
NCR-Stat: Baseline 2024 Survey
The NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey 2024 is a collaborative initiative developed by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, the Southern Rural Development Center, and Auburn University. The survey explores essential topics related to household, business, and community well-being. It aims to learn more about the conditions, issues, and challenges faced by rural and urban communities and their residents in the North Central Region.
Conducted as a 20-minute online survey through the Qualtrics platform, it covers a broad spectrum of topics, including household demographics, income, workforce participation, entrepreneurship, caregiving, housing, broadband access, migration and staying behavior, civic engagement, community belonging, health, food security, well-being, and environmental concerns. The survey was designed to maximize participation across a diverse range of household types, geographic locations, genders, ages, and racial and ethnic groups, ensuring comprehensive and balanced representation.
Building on the 2022 survey, the NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey 2024 features both adapted and expanded questions, introducing new topics like climate change perceptions and the recreation economy. Data collection took place from August to November 2024, primarily through the Qualtrics platform, with additional responses gathered via computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) in select states to reach offline populations. High data quality was maintained through attention-check questions and mandatory responses, with all collected data fully coded and de-identified to safeguard participant confidentiality.
Survey Conducted: 2024 / Respondents: 4,383
Baseline 2024 Surveys available for Northeast and Southern Regions:
In collaboration with our sister centers – the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development (NERCRD) and the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC), NCRCRD also conducted the Baseline 2024 household survey in the Northeast and Southern regions of the U.S. These datasets are also open access and available to all.
- Northeast Region – NER-Stat: Baseline 2024
- Southern Region – SR-Stat: Baseline 2024
Baseline 2024 Resources
- Video: Regional Pulse: Insights from the 2024 Multi-Region Household Surveys
(recorded 5/9/25; 51 minutes) featuring Maria I. Marshall, NCRCRD Director, Zuzana Bednarik, NCRCRD Research and Extension Specialist, and John J. Green, Director, Southern Rural Development Center. This presentation explores the groundbreaking 2024 baseline household surveys conducted across three major U.S. regions and presents key findings from each of the regional datasets — NCR-Stat, NER-Stat, and SR-Stat surveys.
NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey 2022
The NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey is the first of NCRCRD’s regional household surveys and includes questions related to topics crucial for household and community development and wellbeing. All data gathered via the NCR-Stat Baseline Survey is available for those who would like to use the data as a baseline for further research and extend the portfolio of already existing databases.
The NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey is a 20-minute survey designed to provide a baseline from a social and economic perspective. The survey focuses solely on households in the NCR states and asks questions about household demographics, income, workforce participation, entrepreneurship, caregiving, human capital, housing, broadband access, placemaking, community leadership and civic engagement, health and wellness, food security, and environment.
The primary purpose of this initial survey is to get a better picture of the North Central Region and learn more about respective topics. The Baseline Survey is also a starting point for following surveys on specific thematic areas.
Survey conducted: 2022 / Respondents: 4,232 households
Upcoming NCR-Stat: Baseline 2024 Survey: NCRCRD is embarking on another Baseline Survey in 2024 to maintain the baseline data and collect it across time. Expected release: December 2024.
Additional NCR-Stat: Baseline Resources:
- Video: An Introduction to NCR-Stat – The Free Household Dataset webinar (recorded 12/7/22; 57 minutes) featuring Maria I. Marshall, NCRCRD Director and Zuzana Bednarik, NCRCRD Research and Extension Specialist who present the details to the dataset.
- NCR-Stat and NCR-Stat: Baseline Survey Introduction
- Rural-Urban Classification Used by NCRCRD
- Story Behind the Numbers: Articles posted regularly that explore the region using the NCR-Stat and other datasets.
NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey
The NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey is the regional household survey that NCRCRD conducted in collaboration with Ohio State University and the National Farm Medicine Center. It is a 15-minute survey that focuses solely on households in the NCR states and asks questions about household demographics, education, non-caregiving, and child, adult, and elderly caregiving.
The primary purpose of this survey is to learn more about individuals and families who provide care and how caregiving affects economic development and quality of life in the North Central Region. All data gathered via the NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey are available for those who want to use the data as a baseline for further research and extend the portfolio of already existing databases. The information gathered from this survey is intended to be shared with communities, organizations, and decision-makers to help inform future policies and programs and better support caregiving and caregivers in the North Central Region.
Survey conducted: 2023 / Respondents: 4,532 households (1,596 child caregivers and 1,325 adult caregivers)
Additional NCR-Stat: Caregiving Resources
- Video: Caregiving Across the Life Course in Rural and Urban Households in the North Central Region webinar
Recorded February 27, 2024, this webinar provides a great introduction and overview of the NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey. Presented by the three lead authors of the survey – Zuzana Bednarik, Research and Extension Specialist, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development; Shoshanah Inwood, Associate Professor of Community, Food, and Economic Development, The Ohio State University; and Florence Becot, Associate Professor, Pennsylvania State University. - Research Snapshots: Initial explorations and finding of the NCR-Stat: Caregiving Survey.
NER-STAT: CAREGIVING SURVEY (NORTHEAST REGION)
We are pleased to announce the expansion of our regional surveys to the Northeast Region (NER) with the publication of the NER-Stat: Caregiving dataset. The NER-Stat: Caregiving survey was conducted by NCRCRD in collaboration with The Ohio State University and Pennsylvania State University and used the same survey as the recently released, NCR-Stat: Caregiving survey (Jan 2024). The regional datasets are being developed to decrease the barriers for institutions to study regional changes and conduct comparative research, as well as increase regional collaboration for both research and Extension. Like the NCR-Stat datasets, the NER-Stat: Caregiving dataset is open access and available to download.
NCR-Stat: Small Business Survey
The NCRCRD collected data about small businesses in the North Central Region. The dataset includes 1,287 responses from small business owners, including information on owners, health and wellness in the workplace, and more.
Rural businesses are essential to their communities, often employing rural residents and impacting the local economy. This survey includes data on small business owners, copreneurs, small business benefits, substance misuse and mental health, workforce development, trust and community, adjustment strategies, socioemotional wealth, financials, and business owners’ households. The NCR-Stat: Small Business Survey focuses on the intersection of small businesses, benefits, and rural health.
The primary purpose of this survey is to learn more about small business owners and what benefits they provide to their employees. All data gathered via the NCR-Stat: Small Business Survey are available for those who want to use the data as a baseline for further research and to extend the portfolio of already existing databases. The information gathered from this survey is intended to be shared with communities, organizations, and decision-makers to help inform future policies and programs and better support small businesses and workforce development in the North Central Region.
Survey conducted: 2024 / Respondents: 1,287 small business owners
NCR-STAT: SMALL BUSINESS DATASET
Additional NCR-Stat: Small Business Resources:
- Video: Introducing the New NCR-Stat: Small Business Dataset (recorded 8/27/24; 35:38 minutes)
This webinar this webinar provides a great introduction and overview of the NCR-Stat: Small Business Survey and is presented by the lead authors of the survey, Maria I. Marshall, NCRCRD Director and Renee Wiatt, NCRCRD Research and Extension Specialist.