Rapid employment growth in a 10-county nonmetro area in southern Georgia provided jobs, but not for most longer term resident households whose head lived in the area during the years from 1976 through 1981. Despite the area's impressive job growth during these years only 20% of the long term resident households had more workers in 1981 than in 1976, and only 27% had a stable economic history. Their average income levels fell. The 1976-81 income gap was stable between households headed by the elderly and nonelderly, between blacks and whites, and between males and females. Employment did not assure escape from poverty and did not reduce the area's overall poverty rate. Age or disability kept many of the poor from working. Most working poor households were headed by blacks whose weekly wages were far below those of whites. A few poor households benefitted from the area's expanding job opportunities, but as many households entered poverty as escaped poverty. Factors, other than employment, which increased income were: (1) household size; (2) number of household members working; (3) hours worked; (4) real weekly wages; (5) education; (6) health status; and (7) other sources of income. This case study report includes a 57-item list of references and an appendix which describes the analysis procedures used in the study. (Author/VM)