Metro and nonmetro areas experienced similar employment growth rates between 1973 and 1979. However, nonmetro residents continued to have lower labor force participation rates. American women increased their labor force participation and employment, with nonmetro women gaining less in percentage terms than metro women. In both metro and nonmetro areas, Black and other minority populations showed little improvement in their labor force status between 1973 and 1979. Nonmetro teens increased their labor force participation rate, with White women accounting for four-fifths of nonmetro teen employment growth. Older residents in nonmetro areas had low unemployment rates and maintained a higher labor force participation rate than their metro counterparts.