To describe rural poverty in Wisconsin in a manner useful to educators, policymakers, clergy, and businesspersons, census statistics, primarily from 1980, were used to look separately at rural nonfarm, farm, and urban families and persons. Other census data provided comparability. As measured in 1980, 6% of urban and rural nonfarm families had incomes at or below the poverty level, compared with 12% of farm families. The percentage of Wisconsin's poor farm families was higher than both the United States' and Wisconsin's average for all families--fluctuating around 15%. Even in counties with a low percentage of poverty, the number of poor families was large. Poverty ratios by age and residence varied, with little pattern among areas (farm, rural, and urban). Family structure affected the incidence of poverty in all geographical areas. Ninety percent of farm householders at or near the poverty level worked, compared with 60% of rural and urban families. Social Security benefits raised the percentages of farm, rural nonfarm, and urban unrelated individuals and householders above the poverty level. A higher percentage of rural and urban poor received public assistance than farm poor. Definitions, graphs, maps, and statistical data are included. (JMM)