A Rural-Urban Typology.

Much research and many publications have dealt with the concepts of rural-urban differences, but the controversy regarding the conceptual clarity of the variables remains. Assuming that these variables need clarification, this paper: (1) examines some of the conceptual and methodological problems involved in rural-urban differentiation, (2) proposes a multidimensional continuum and typology, and (3) tests the empirical utility of this continuum and typology. Using the Wirth-Redfield conceptual framework, these criteria were adopted within a given spatial-temporal context: an urban center, in contrast to a rural one, is characterized by larger size, greater density, and a preponderance of persons engaged in nonagricultural economic activities. In this definition, the demographic dimensions of size and density of population, and the occupational dimension indicating cultural differences are emphasized. There were 18 measures of urbanization employed--11 unidimensional and 7 multidimensional. All of these measures were then correlated with four dependent variables--fertitlity ratio, average number of persons per household, divorce rate, and income differences between professionals and laborers. A rural-urban typology was then developed, based on three major variables--size, density, and heterogeneity. The typological method of analysis compared favorably with the contimuum analysis of rural-urban variations. Additional testing with a Profile of Types of Rural Counties gave further evidence of the empirical utility of a typological analysis of rural-urban differences. (KM)