Between 1959 and 1979, the economic status of nonmetropolitan Black, Mexican-American, and Native American families improved substantially, but nonmetropolitan Black and Mexican-American family incomes deteriorated significantly from 1979 to 1986. Labor force commitment reduced family poverty more effectively than public assistance for all groups.…

Underemployment is another indicator of nonmetropolitan labor's disadvantaged circumstances. Yearly employment transitions during 1968 and 1993, show that compared to urban counterparts, adequately employed nonmetro workers were more likely to become underemployed; the nonmetro underemployed were less likely to become adequately employed; and…