Data derived from 1,423 adults who were permanent residents in 9 northwest Wisconsin counties in 1974 were used to test the hypothesis that peripheral metropolitan ring areas (within 30 miles of cities over 50,000) have more pleasing natural environments and more desirable social settings than urban areas and offer better access to jobs and services than rural areas. Dependent measures were drawn from 39 community and environmental items tapping 3 quality of life dimensions -- the natural environment, social relations, and facilities/services. Eight individual (age, education, sex, marital status, household size, residential duration, family income, and organizational membership and two ecological (size and distance from urban center) variables were employed. Results indicated persons living in the ring areas: rated their environment more favorably than urbanites; rated their social setting less favorably than either urbanites or rural people; and rated their social services less positively than rural people. Persons living in small towns and open country areas beyond the 30-mile perimeter rated their environment higher than urbanites and, with a few exceptions, higher than rural dwellers; rated their social setting, with 2 exceptions, higher than urbanites and, with 2 exceptions, higher than ring area dwellers; rated their job opportunities and many other services higher than suburbanites. (JC)