ABSTRACT
Rural United States has a preponderance of private drinking water systems, a relative absence of modern sewage disposal methods, limited garbage collection and solid waste disposal sites, and higher fire fatality rates than urban places. Many differences in the level and quality of local services between rural and urban places are increasing. During the 1970s, expenditures by rural governments remained relatively unchanged, with major commitments going to education, highways, public welfare, police protection, and sewerage. Subjective assessments of the quality of services reveal that rural residents rate services as less satisfactory than urban residents do. Quality of life is a product of a composite of factors including work, family, health, community, neighborhood, and other experiences. Factors that influence feelings of satisfaction with community services have sometimes been classified into four major, although not exhaustive, categories: size of place, status of residents, political efficacy, and use of services.
