In the mid-1960s, poverty in the United States became a major national issue (Danziger and Weinberg 1986). An official definition was adopted and new programs were initiated to eradicate poverty. According to official sources the poverty rate fell from 22.2 percent in 1960 to 12.1 percent in 1969; the rate started rising in 1979.-'' The poverty rate among the nonmetropolitan population is higher than for the metropopulation- (USDA 1987). Although differences between the two rates narrowed during 1967-79, it widened again during 1979-85. The poverty rate (ignoring in-kind transfers) of the nonmetro-population did not start to decline again until after 1985