In order to contribute to the sparse literature on factors associated with crime in rural communities, an exploratory study analyzed the relation between demographic, social, and economic factors of selected rural townships in Ohio and their rates of crime. Data for the study were collected from three sources: daily offense reports from nine Ohio sheriffs for a 6-month period of 1974, a field survey conducted in the summer of 1974, and 1970 census data. The crime rate (the dependent variable) was measured by the weighted number of offenses known to police from June through November 1974. The independent variables were selected community characteristics. The regression result showed that six variables were significantly related to variations of the crime rate; these were population changes, marriage instability, education, poverty, crime prevention efforts, and community satisfaction. However, the predictability of these variables to the crime rate was relatively low. Marriage instability had a positive effect on crime rate, while education had a negative effect on crime rate, a finding which was consistent with most urban studies. Unexpected results were obtained from some variables. The positive correlation between preventive efforts and crime rate, and negative correlation between poverty and crime rate were contrary to findings from some urban studies. (Author/BRR)