Rural America has long been perceived as "left behind" by policies that leave it struggling while benefiting bustling urban cities and suburbs. That narrative holds some truth: rural America has a declining population, along with lower educational attainment and lower workforce participation than urban America. But while rural America…

This paper analyzes economic trends to determine if education should be the focal point for rural economic development. According to the labor shortage/skills mismatch view, the movement toward a "service economy" will accelerate in the 1990s, increasing the number of skilled jobs and the demand for skilled workers. This…

Pennsylvania has the largest rural population in the nation, and more than 50 percent of this population is female. Overall, Pennsylvania's rural women are doing well in education, family life stability, and health, relative to comparison groups of rural men and urban women and men. Educational attainment is greater among urban women and men, but…

The percentage of high school graduates in the rural South improved during the 1990s but lagged behind urban figures; the percentage of rural college graduates grew slightly. Rural-urban differences in educational attainment were even greater among minorities. The rural-urban income gap also widened and is not expected to improve, with few new…

The 1964 Report of the President's Appalachian Regional Commission reinforced the popular image of Appalachia--low income, high poverty, limited education, poor living standards, job deficits, high unemployment, outmigration, stagnation, and decline. Current data indicate that conditions in Appalachia have improved greatly: the percentage of…

Finds that, among 2,397 heads of poor Southern households in the March 1986 Current Population Survey, race and education were significant determinants of employment status in metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, respectively. Age and receipt of welfare in the previous year were important factors in both areas. (SV)

Current Population Survey data indicate that 7.2% of nonmetropolitan workers and 6.2% of metropolitan workers held two or more jobs concurrently in 1996. Multiple jobholding rates were highest in the lowest and highest earnings quintiles and for whites, college graduates, and ages 45-54. Teachers accounted for the largest number of nonmetro…

Analysis of effects of local educational levels on employment growth found that growth benefits of higher schooling levels during the 1970s were 14 times greater for metro than nonmetro commuting zones. During the 1980s, higher education levels did not significantly affect employment growth in metro or nonmetro zones; higher dropout rates were…

This report represents a county-level Pennsylvania data base focused on variables of significance to rural communities. The data includes computations of per capita rates for counties in rural, urban influence, and urban clusters. This report is intended for comparing rural counties to other areas of the state. Three categories are used to present…

Underemployment is another indicator of nonmetropolitan labor's disadvantaged circumstances. Yearly employment transitions during 1968 and 1993, show that compared to urban counterparts, adequately employed nonmetro workers were more likely to become underemployed; the nonmetro underemployed were less likely to become adequately employed; and…

This document examines population trends and economic and social indicators in rural Idaho. The first few sections discuss the definition of "rural," rural challenges and strengths, and outside economic and political forces impacting Idaho's rural areas. Subsequent sections present data on population trends, migration patterns, race and…

Graphs, data tables, maps, and written descriptions give a statistical overview of rural Pennsylvania. A section on rural demographics covers population changes, racial and ethnic makeup, age cohorts, and families and income. Pennsylvania's rural population, the nation's largest, has increased more than its urban population since 1950, with the…

In 1999, the percentage of low-wage workers in rural areas was higher than in urban areas or in 1979. The share of women and minorities in low-wage work stabilized, but the share of White men increased. Low-wage work increased in higher-skilled occupations, and the share of college educated low-wage workers increased significantly since 1979. (TD)

This publication presents indicators of social and economic conditions in Arkansas highlighting urban and rural differences. Initial information includes a discussion of the definition of "rural" and a display of classification schemes used to describe the regions of Arkansas. The remainder of the document contains data for 1990, state…

This paper examines patterns of change in the number of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients in nonmetropolitan and metropolitan Texas counties, 1980-1990. Specifically, the paper analyzes how changes in AFDC enrollment can be explained by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and the extent to which factors explaining…