The Diverse Social and Economic Structure of Nonmetropolitan America. Rural Development Research Report No. 49

Effective rural development planning depends on facts and analysis based, not on rural averages, but on the diverse social and economic structure of rural America. Programs tailored to particular types of rural economies may be more effective than generalized programs. Because of their unique characteristics, government policies and economic trends may affect these types of rural economies in different ways. This study identifies seven distinct types of rural economies grouped at the county level: (1) counties primarily dependent on farming, (2) counties primarily dependent on manufacturing, (3) counties primarily dependent on mining, (4) counties specializing in government functions, (5) persistent poverty counties, (6) Federal lands counties, and (7) retirement settlements. Descriptions of each county group summarize selected characteristics important to understanding the course and consequences of economic development. Maps illustrating the location of counties in each group and tables of selected characteristics for each group are included in the text; tables in the appendix compare county groups by urbanization class, population, racial and ethnic composition, income, age, employment, family situation, and income source. (LFL)