ABSTRACT
Many assume that rural areas are mostly homogenous, often the result of stereotyping. The reality is that they are very different: some very rich, others poor; some farm land, another natural resource-based; some dominated by federal land, others virtually uninhabited. Likewise, many assume that economic development strategies can be generally applied to any rural area with success. This is also mistaken: as this entry shows, there are patchwork programs, public and private, that have been crafted to address local or regional needs. More targeting and customization is needed, however. This entry looks at the wide variety of programs used and problems faced by rural communities.
