So I live in a suburb. However my area may be unusual in that it's a suburb, that has farms routinely between, around, and woven through the countryside. For example, I pass two strawberry farms on the way to work, and there's an avocado grove within sight of my bedroom window. But I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'm rural.

Anyways, I would challenge your statement that rural areas are homogeneous (at least here in California). I'm up in the central valley (San Joaquin valley), and it is far from it. In fact, it's not "segregated" (as in forced), but rather diversified clusters through "choice" or "history". Much like San Francisco, where there's Chinatown. Like in the valley, there's the Mexican side, the black side, the white side, the Asian side (typically all different types). That doesn't mean that it forced to be that way (even through subtle or financial means), but it's certainly not homogeneous.

~Jeordam