This brief presents selected findings from a rural analysis of the Kindergarten Cohort of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K) by the National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives in collaboration with Child Trends. Comparisons of rural and non-rural young children in the baseline data of the Kindergarten Cohort of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, with breakdowns for ethnicity and family income, reveal that rural life is associated with some positive indicators for early childhood social-emotional development, such as beginning kindergarteners' social competence, neighborhood safety, and parental coping. Rural life appears to have no relationship to some indicators, such as internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and maternal depression. However, rural life is associated with some social-emotional risk factors, particularly negative parental discipline. Ethnic disparities within the rural subset of the ECLS-K tend to be similar to ethnic disparities in the non-rural subset. More analysis of these findings may suggest implications for enhanced parent support and education in rural communities. (Contains 4 figures.) [This brief was produced by the National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives, Mississippi State University.]