Principal objectives of this study were to examine the direction of changes in various Facets of Socioeconomic Environments (FOSE's) which had occurred during the decade of the 60's in each of four Tennessee counties; to identify the FOSE's which needed to be modified by public policies; to ascertain the socioeconomic characteristics related to each FOSE; and to design some socioeconomic indicators for evaluating actual conditions of each FOSE and the rate of change in such a FOSE. The data base for this study included: (1) interviews from a random area sample of rural households (1960; 1966; and 1972); (2) interviews from a group identified as "knowledgeables" (defined by position and area tenure); (3) secondary data from the censuses of population, agriculture, housing and governments, and selected state sources. The socioeconomic characteristics examined were: age; educational achievement; income; North-Hatt occupational scores; Anomia scores; dependency index; capability towork index; material possession index; communication items score; the number of communication items and material items possessed; social participation score; and leisure-time participation intensity score. Comparison of the four counties revealed differing patterns of trade off and supplementary relations between the FOSE's, which appeared to be related to differing degrees of industrialization in the counties. (Author/JC)