The purpose of the article is to investigate the social environment of rural people in a comparative description to the urban life, and define social imbalance between city and countryside in basic and necessary directions of their living and cultural level. Research methods. In the research process have been used the basic methods in the works of domestic economists on the issues of socio-economic development of rural territories and the study of issues that characterize provision of necessary living conditions of rural population. Research results. Reproduction peculiarities for life and labour potential of rural population, which are constantly in social imbalance between city and countryside, have been highlighted. Village inhabitants experience such difference in the field of health care, education levels, providing various housing and communal services. There are no proper conditions in transport and cultural servicing for rural people, which significantly affects their living standards. Nowadays, rural family needs protection from society and the state, and rural woman does not feel as a full-fledged person and equal member of a democratic society. Current statistics cite figures indicating existence of a major gap in providing necessary living conditions between rural and urban people. After all, a dream of every peasant woman is to see her locality revived as a life of urban people via creation of a decent living standard for all people. Elements of scientific novelty. In resolving this problem, the provision of all social programs and tasks aimed at improving living conditions of the villagers is important: improving the health system, improving the current state of transport and repairing roads in rural areas, providing rural areas with social infrastructure objects. All these elements are in the plane of overcoming those crisis trends that affect the living standards for rural women. Practical significance. Real characteristic of reproduction of living and labour potential of rural population, characterizing imbalance between city and countryside, has been substantiated. This direction should become the main and decisive, aimed at revival of the Ukrainian village. First of all, it concerns tasks related to health care services, education levels, provision of various housing and communal services, transportation and cultural services. As a result, rural woman would feel the same as urban woman, and thus, protected by the state. Tabl.: 3. Refs.: 16.