Characteristics of 295 federally funded rural community mental health centers (CMHC) in 1971 were documented by examining differentials relating to various utilization indices and funding, expenditure, and staffing patterns. The centers were classified according to: (1) rural--a center serving a catchment area consisting exclusively of rural counties; (2) nonrural--a center serving a catchment area containing no rural county; and (3) part rural--a center serving a mixed catchment area with one or more rural and one or more nonrural counties. The rurality classification of catchment areas, and consequently of the community mental health centers serving them, was made on the basis of metropolitan influence and population concentration (i.e., community size). There were distinct contrasts in utilization patterns at federally funded CMHC's in rural, part rural, and nonrural locations. Contrasts were especially marked as between rural and nonrural facilities, with part rural facilities often falling between the two extremes and thus suggesting the possibility of a continuum in utilization of CMHC services according to rurality. Rural CMHC's received relatively more funding from governmental sources and less from receipts from services than did either part rural or nonrural centers; there were differences in expenditure patterns as well. (Author/NQ)