In an effort to determine whether there are differences in areas of residence that affect the aspirations and expectations of young people living therein, this study examined occupational and educational aspirations of 1,835 rural high school seniors from 3 sociocultural contexts in Kentucky: (1) a low-opportunity, rural-poverty area in central Kentucky, (2) a rather prosperous agricultural area in central Kentucky, and (3) an industrializing semi-rural area in western Kentucky. Data obtained by author-constructed questionnaires were analyzed in terms of regional variations in occupational and educational choice patterns among youth in the 3 areas; however, introduction of the 3 control variables--socioeconomic status, intelligence test scores, and perceived parental interest--accounted for most of the variations found prior to the analysis using the control variables. It was concluded that, although area of residence may be significant for some populations, the area context does not appear to significantly affect occupational and educational expectations of this group of seniors. Rather, the control variables in the study best appear to explain the variations. Thus, only 1 of the 6 original study hypotheses was clearly supported: that youth from eastern Kentucky, regardless of sex, would show greater propensity to migrate from their home countries than youth from central or western Kentucky. Four appendixes, 40 tables, 2 illustrations, and an 83-item bibliography are included. (MJB)