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US Resident Patent Applications vs US Rural Population

US Resident Patent Applications and US Rural Population correlate at r = -0.93 over 42 years (1980–2021), p < 0.0001. With the time trend removed, r = -0.29. Likely spurious (shared time trend).

Verdict: Likely spurious (shared time trend). Both series mostly just trend over time. After removing that trend the correlation collapses to -0.29 — the relationship is probably coincidental, not causal.

Pearson r
-0.93
p-value
< 0.0001
Years compared (n)
42 (1980–2021)
95% confidence interval
-0.96 to -0.88
Correlation with the time trend removed
-0.29

Sources

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Correlation does not imply causation. How the verdict is worked out.