Tim Murphy

Jobs have been lost all over the country. But losses are higher in exurban counties, the fast-growing communities that can be found between the cities and rural America.

Nationally, the recession has been a job killer. But the economic downturn varies from place to place. Today, the Yonder looks at the rural, exurban and urban counties that have done the best, and worst, over the last year.

Unemployment is still higher in rural American than in the cities. But the jobs picture changes from state to state, region to region.

Rural unemployment rose again in February even as job losses slowed across most of rural America.

The United States lost jobs in January — and the losses in rural and exurban America were more severe than in the cities.

Senators from Iowa and North Carolina say Medicare Advantage is vital for rural communities. But not many rural residents use these plans — and the plans they get are costly and unproven.

Rural and exurban counties provided more than their share of recruits to the U.S. Army in 2008. Rural counties have been disproportionately represented in the military since the beginning of the Iraq War.

This chart ranks the states by the rate of U.S. Army recruits from each state in 2008.

This chart ranks the states by the rate of U.S. Army recruits from urban counties in 2008.