Understanding Rural America
AIB-710
Economic Research Service
United States Department of Agriculture
Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 710 Washington, DC February
1995
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Preface
It has been said that today's decisions determine tomorrow's destiny.
Indeed, rural residents and policymakers face many decisions that will affect,
if not determine, rural America's destiny. "What are the economic
conditionsneeds, opportunities, and possibilitiesin different rural
areas?" "What factors underlie those conditions?" And,
ultimately: "How can rural areas and people achieve the goals they aspire
to?"
It follows then, that the answers to these and other critical
questions should be based on the most accurate, up-to-date information
available. Good decisions require good input.
This report draws upon the work of the Rural Economy Division of the
Economic Research Service to provide that information. It pulls together the
findings of several researchers to describe general rural conditions and trends,
as well as details about the many differences found in rural America. The
result, we hope, is a source of information that will assist rural decisionmakers as they seek to improve the well-being of rural people and places.
Table of Contents
Notes
- The maps and charts in this report are the products of analyses conducted
by the Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Data used in
the analyses were provided by the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Economic
Analysis, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Charts containing the note "1979=100" were indexed to allow for
comparison of growth rates. In those charts, the 1979 value of all charted
variables was made to equal 100. Thus, values over 100 in subsequent years
indicate growth relative to 1979, while values below 100 indicate decline.
- Notes referred to in the text are found by hyperlinks within the text.
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Updated: February 6, 1997
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