IS RURAL RESIDENCY A RISK FACTOR FOR CHILDHOOD POVERTY

The influence of rural variables on young children's poverty status, a djusting for individual and family characteristics, is explored. The l iterature suggests that specific demographic variables exert an overwh elming influence on children's poverty status. This is confirmed with data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. Results also sugg est that the residential histories of children have consequences for t heir poverty status, even after the influence of control variables has been taken into account. The conclusion identifies the integration of survey and ecological data as one promising direction for future rese arch on childhood poverty.