Its very simple for me
Urban areas include those that have gotten used to and expect handouts from the govt. Democrats are the party of handouts and what can the govt. do for me crowd.
Rural areas are more or less people who are more self -reliant and do not depend on or do not expect the govt. to provide them freebies.
This is where the republicans need to make in-roads with minorities. The govt is not the nipple and that they are empowered to achieve their potential w/o blaming others for their failure.
Of the $1.1 trillion in Federal, State, and local government transfers to individuals in 2001, $214 billion went to nonmetro residents and $897 billion went to metro residents. On a per capita basis, nonmetro residents got more transfers than metro residents, $4,375 vs. $3,798. With per capital income of $22,391 in nonmetro areas and $32,077 in metro areas, government transfers account for 20 percent of nonmetro and 12 percent of metro income.
Anectdotally, it holds up as well. In HS, a large number of my daughter's friends in tiny town (pop 882) seemed to wind up pregnant and on welfare, and truth to tell, there was only crowd in that HS because it was too small to split into cliques. Must have done something right. Daughter is now 26, married to a police officer, and is pregnant with her 1st.