We often don’t think about rural homelessness, but in addition to the many challenges that people experiencing homelessness face, rural homeless groups come across a unique set of obstacles. First of all, rural homeless populations are largely unaccounted for, meaning that they go unnoticed by most people. The majority of the urban homeless reside in shelters or on streets; therefore, it is relatively easier to obtain counts of homelessness in cities. People experiencing homelessness in rural areas, however, live in unpredictable locations, like the “woods, campgrounds, cars, abandoned farm buildings” and other places that are generally “not intended for habitation,” according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. This makes it much harder to get counts or collect any type of data about people experiencing rural homelessness. Therefore, because rural homeless groups are heavily underrepresented, they do not receive the necessary time, attention, or funding from policymakers and other government officials to help improve their situation.

Mobility is also a major concern for rural homeless populations. Most people experiencing homelessness need a reliable mode of transportation. Homeless populations in urban areas often have access to effective public transportation systems. In Philadelphia, for instance, the SEPTA transit system is available at a low cost to conveniently travel through the city. However, because of the lack of infrastructure available for rural populations in terms of public transportation, physical mobility is even more essential for rural homeless groups. According to Jeffrey from Vanport, PA, "Public transportation is very limited in this part of Pennsylvania, so increased mobility is always beneficial." Poor foot health only adds to the struggle, as people experiencing homeless with injured feet face even greater difficulties in moving around from place to place. Physical mobility is just one example of a unique challenge that a person experiencing rural homelessness would encounter, and it is one that is widely overlooked when thinking about the public health issues that homeless groups face.