One of the main reasons poverty is bad for children's development is because it reduces maternal responsiveness. This study addresses a heretofore unanswered question: why do low-income children experience diminished maternal responsiveness compared with their more affluent counterparts? In addition, we examine this question among a largely neglected population, young adolescent (M = 13.1 years), rural low- and middle-income, white children. These families all reside in small towns and rural areas in North America. The negative association between poverty and maternal responsiveness is mediated by the combination of heightened maternal stress and diminished social networks.