Will applying from a rural state change my chances for ED to an Ivy League school?
Idaho here. It didn’t help me–deferred from Harvard SCEA and ultimately rejected from all 4 ivies I applied to. You can find my stats on my profile.
Most colleges value geographical diversity to at least some degree. However, Ivies tend toward the large side, and therefore may achieve their breadth of national coverage relatively easily. Smaller but academically comparable colleges, such as certain NESCACs or Claremonts, would offer you a greater boost should you want an additional advantage in admission.
Here is an article from the New York Times that might be relevant to your query: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/31/education/edlife/colleges-discover-rural-student.html
Yes, it helps, but it doesn’t mean it’ll be a slam dunk. It only means your odds are 1 in 10 instead of 1 in 20 - an appreciable difference, but still a reach for everyone.