Rapid growth in manufacturing, increasing numbers of working women with children, and a steep rise in single-parent families were leading changes in the economic and social profile of rural counties during the 1970's. This report documents changes in the economic and social characteristics of both metro and nonmetro residents from 1970-80. Although median family income in nonmetro areas continued to improve compared with metro areas, nonmetro median income was only 79 percent of metro income in 1979, compared with 69 percent in 1959.