In the last decade of the 20th century it was observed an increasing diversification in the composition of the agricultural occupation and a slow increasing of Brazilian rural population in productive age. The aim of this study was to report the main tendencies on occupation and income of population in the rural space of Brazil in the 2001-2009 period. From the data of National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) and based in a log-linear regression model, an analysis on variation in population, income, average income and Gini index was made. It was identified that, despite the continuous decline of the total economically active population (EAP) occupied in the mercantile agriculture, the Brazilian rural population remained stable, mainly due to the expansion of EAP with off-agricultural occupation. The change on the profile of Brazilian rural space was more evident in the population income. These tendencies are associated with the diversification of the occupational composition, the increase of the acquisitive power, the reduction of the access to income inequality and the decrease of informal employment in the rural space. The continuity of these trends may lead to, in the rural area, both occupation and income from agricultural activities are surpassed by those originated from off-agricultural activities. Therefore, the readjustment of the rural development initiatives, which are mainly focused in the agricultural activities, is necessary.