A Demographic Snapshot of Rural Fathers.

Roughly one in five people and more than one in 10 men between the ages of 18 and 44 in the United States live in rural communities. Although rural and urban fathers are similar in many ways, there are significant differences shaping their lives and opportunities that have implications for fatherhood programs. For instance, program staff working in rural communities often report that higher rates of unemployment, lower educational attainment, limited job opportunities, and lack of transportation translate to challenges that are difficult to address and unique to rural communities. This demographic snapshot highlights some of these important characteristics to provide information for practitioners working with rural fathers and to inform policy makers and community stakeholders of the needs of fathers in rural communities. On behalf of the Office of Family Assistance (OFA), the National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse has released a companion publication, Spotlight on Rural Fatherhood Programs, to further inform work with fathers in rural areas. (Author abstract)