The National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives (Rural Early Childhood), a research program of the Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute, and Child Trends analyzed data from two nationally representative samples of young children being followed in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study by the National Center for Education Statistics. Rural Early Childhood and Child Trends compared rural and nonrural young children with respect to multiple indicators. Rural young children were less likely than nonrural counterparts to be breast-fed, attend center-based child care, or enter kindergarten with certain literacy skills. Rural children were more likely to live in poverty, experience all of their early learning in their own homes or homes of relatives, be read to or told stories frequently by their parents, and demonstrate social engagement. Overall, rural and nonrural mothers receive timely prenatal care and have the same rates of premature childbirth. Rural and nonrural parents are equally likely to speak spontaneously to their babies and have warm interactions with them. However, very young African American children in rural areas are more likely than nonrural African American children and other ethnic subgroups to be born to single, teenage parents with low income; to be born prematurely; and to live in environments with infrequent speech and few toys or activities. The authors recommend adding parent education and support activities to services that already reach rural families effectively (e.g., prenatal care, primary pediatric health care, and family, friend, and neighbor child care).