Some observers believe that welfare programs have an urban bias; however, the rate of poverty is higher in rural than in urban areas. This study establishes metro and nonmetro differences in the use of welfare and the degree to which it reduces poverty. Data from the U. S. Census Bureau's March 1987 Current Population Survey are analyzed using…

This paper documents changing rates of poverty, sources of income, and employment among rural female-headed families with children, focusing on the effects of welfare reform. Data from the Current Population Survey show that from 1989 through 1999, especially since passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act…

A survey of 505 low-income nonmetropolitan families found that participation in informal work activities was widespread; was not related to poverty status; contributed little to family income on average but helped families weather difficult times; was motivated both economically and noneconomically; and, net of other sociodemographic variables,…

Poverty rates are highest in the most urban and most rural areas of the United States, and are higher in nonmetropolitan than metropolitan areas. Yet, perhaps because only one-fifth of the nation's 35 million poor people live in nonmetropolitan areas, rural poverty has received less attention than urban poverty from both policymakers and…

Census Bureau data, 1970-90, indicate that families of nonmetropolitan poor children relied more heavily on parental earnings and less on public assistance than their metropolitan counterparts, but reliance on public assistance rose sharply during the period, especially for nonmetro children. Welfare's ability to ameliorate poverty was modest and…

This paper addresses the important but relatively understudied problem of immigrants' use of transfer payments. First it documents differentials in the propensity of natives and immigrants to receive public assistance income using 1980 census data. Descriptive tabulations revealed considerable differences between Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, and…

Analyzes the utilization of public assistance in the United States by immigrants and natives. Findings include the following: (1) despite higher poverty rates, immigrants had only minimally higher recipiency rates than natives; (2) immigrants were generally less likely than natives to receive assistance. (FMW)

Documents and explains immigrant-native born American trends and differentials in poverty and public assistance utilization from 1960-1980. Immigration over this period is characterized by increases in the following: (1) flow of immigration; (2) downward trend in immigrants entering under the family reunification provisions; (3) percentage…

Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1988 wave) reveal that nonpoor individuals aged 55 and older living in nonmetropolitan areas were much more likely to become poor than their metropolitan counterparts. This difference persisted when controlling for race, education, marital status, age, change in work effort, becoming widowed, and types…

Rural poverty among female-headed families with children has declined since 1996 welfare reforms. Moreover, the income of female-headed families has increased, while income from earnings has more than offset declines in public assistance income. Rural single mothers nevertheless continue to experience higher poverty rates than their urban…

Between 1959 and 1979, the economic status of nonmetropolitan Black, Mexican-American, and Native American families improved substantially, but nonmetropolitan Black and Mexican-American family incomes deteriorated significantly from 1979 to 1986. Labor force commitment reduced family poverty more effectively than public assistance for all groups.…

In Pennsylvania, high-poverty nonmetro counties are attracting additional poor immigrants, especially the least educated, at the same time that college graduates are showing a net outmigration from rural areas. This pattern increases the strain on rural educational and social services. Survey results suggest that the poor move primarily for…

Interviews with 107 rural divorced, single mothers in 6 Pennsylvania counties examined their use of and attitudes toward community assistance programs, workfare, and educational programs. Many respondents had used welfare and nutrition programs and felt the programs were needed. However, they felt that child feeding programs were more accessible…