The study compares rural and urban technology use in a 1993 sample of manufacturing plants from five industries. Comparisons by plant size, industry, and region show similar rates of technology use by metro and nonmetro plants. Multivariate analysis of technology use shows that nonmetro location has no effect when plant and location characteristics are held constant. Local characteristics, including schooling and minority population, affect technology use in metro counties, but not in nonmetro counties. The study concludes that technology diffusion is not a major obstacle to rural economic development.