Abstract
Regardless of whether they are from rural home communities or attend rural-serving institutions (RSIs), rural college students experience significantly (p < .001) higher loneliness than their suburban and urban peers.
The data from the 2025 Assessing Rural Education Assets and Strengths (AREAS) survey of 9,634 students show that students from rural home communities and those attending RSIs report markedly higher loneliness than their peers (students from suburban/urban communities or those attending colleges or universities in suburban/urban areas).
Loneliness among rural students poses serious risks to their academic success, mental health, and retention. We recommend that higher education institutional leaders serving rural populations take proactive steps to address loneliness by fostering peer connections, expanding broadband and digital inclusion, creating welcoming social spaces, and training faculty and staff to recognize and respond to social isolation.