The study examined whether significant rural-urban differences still persisted in selected factors affecting a community's fertility level. The factors selected were education, occupational class, income, and the participation of women in the labor force. Tested was the hypothesis that the educational development, occupational class, economic status, and proportion of women working had direct negative effects on a community's fertility level; and these effects varied with place of residence. The 1970 census of Ohio's 88 counties was used in the analysis. The 31 SMSA's (Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area) in Ohio were treated as urban counties and the 57 non-SMSA's as rural counties. The t-test and path analysis were used to test the hypothesis. The first statistical finding from the t-test was that rural-urban differences were significant in each of the selected variables. The path analysis was then used to test the effects of these variables on fertility in rural and urban areas. No rural-urban difference was found in the relationship between fertility and occupational class. They were inversely related in both rural and urban areas. In rural areas, education had a direct negative effect, income had a positive effect, and women working had no effect on fertility. In urban areas, education and income had no direct effect on fertility, while women working had a positive effect on fertility. (Author/NQ)