Journal profile · Multiple
Journal of Rural Studies
ISSN 0743-0167 · eISSN 1873-1392 · Elsevier
Journal of Rural Studies: CAS Zone 1 · Sociology (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 5.65; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,090; review about 234 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 370 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Rural Studies is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 of Sociology in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Rural development and sustainability, Organic Food and Agriculture and Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development, together about 40.6% of its articles. Its main subfields are General Agricultural and Biological Sciences. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Over 40 years of excellence in Rural ResearchThe Journal of Rural Studies publishes cutting-edge research that advances understanding and analysis of contemporary rural societies, economies, cultures and lifestyles; the definition and representation of rurality; the formulation, implementation and contestation of rural policy; and human interactions with the rural environment. The journal is an interdisciplinary publication and welcomes articles from diverse theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches, which engage with and contribute to the rural social science literature, as broadly defined by the disciplines of rural geography, rural sociology, agricultural and rural economics, planning and cognate subjects. The coverage of the journal is global in scope and solicits articles based on empirical research in any part of the world that is of relevance and interest to international readers. The primary audience of the journal are social science researchers, teachers and students interested in contemporary rural issues, processes and experiences.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief Darren SmithPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 22 in mainland China (about 22%); most named United Kingdom 31, Mainland China 22, United States 9, Hong Kong, China 3, Canada 3 (98 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Rural development and sustainabilityAgricultural and Biological Sciences24.1%
- Organic Food and AgricultureAgricultural and Biological Sciences9%
- Agriculture, Land Use, Rural DevelopmentAgricultural and Biological Sciences7.5%
- Agricultural Innovations and PracticesAgricultural and Biological Sciences6.1%
- Agricultural Economics and PolicyAgricultural and Biological Sciences4.4%
- Migration, Aging, and Tourism StudiesSocial Sciences4.2%
- Global trade, sustainability, and social impactBusiness, Management and Accounting3.6%
- Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesEnvironmental Science3.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geography | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Regional & Urban Planning | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geography | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Regional & Urban Planning | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Sociology Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Sociology | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Geography | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Regional & Urban Planning | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 5.65LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 5.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 10.9LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 10.9Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.73LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.17LetPub ·
- h-index
- 194OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,160OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 5.03OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 12.3%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 60.19%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 344LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 5,220 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 408 | 241 | 287 |
| 2025 | 370 | 235 | 1,730 |
| 2024 | 293 | 204 | 3,371 |
| 2023 | 216 | 145 | 4,592 |
| 2022 | 256 | 140 | 7,543 |
| 2021 | 307 | 180 | 11,136 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
234 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 38 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 123 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 234 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 8 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,090 / EUR 3,830 / GBP 3,270 / JPY 507,280 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,010 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Open calls for papers1, by deadline
Publisher websiteArticle types accepted2
- editorialOnly the Editor has the responsibility for deciding whether a paper is to be accepted, rejected or referred back to the author for amendment. He will be guided …Length not stated
- opinionOnly the Editor has the responsibility for deciding whether a paper is to be accepted, rejected or referred back to the author for amendment. He will be guided …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 0743-0167
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-1392
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Rural Studies
What CAS zone is Journal of Rural Studies in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Rural Studies is in Zone 1 of Sociology, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Geography / Regional & Urban Planning; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Sociology. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Rural Studies?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 5.65; CiteScore 10.9, h-index 194.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Rural Studies?
The publisher reports about 234 days (submission to acceptance). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Rural Studies based?
Of the 98 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 22 (about 22%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United Kingdom (31), Mainland China (22) and United States (9). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Rural Studies?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Rural Studies is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is Journal of Rural Studies open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Rural Studies is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,090.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .