Sample populations from 15 Intermountain West communities (representative of population, ethnic, and employment variety) were surveyed to test the following hypotheses: (1) there is a greater degree of consensus in rural than in non-rural communities; (2) there are differences between values in rural and non-rural communities; (3) a model incorporating a number of aspects of community structure, respondent background, and respondent linkages to the community can predict a respondent's value position. The values examined (via mail questionnaires) were: intellectualism; kindness; social skills; loyalty; academic achievement; physical development; value of status; honesty; value of religion; self-control; creativity; and independence. Results indicated: consensus concerning values was not generally higher in rural communities than in non-rural ones, with the possible exceptions of physical development and the value of religion; rural communities placed a higher value on the importance of loyalty, honesty, religion, and self-control, but the remaining 8 value dimensions did not exhibit such a relationship; the model was substantiated and explained to some degree failure of the data to support the other hypotheses, since the degree of rurality was directly related to only 3 of the 12 value dimensions. It was concluded that as rural communities become more diversified, the probability of identifying a rural value system will decrease. (JC)