The majority of prior research reported a relatively low fear of crime in rural communities. Some more recent analyses, however, have indicated unusually high fear in small towns experiencing rapid population growth and related economic changes because of energy developments. Even where there has been no apparent increase in criminal victimization experiences, heightened fear of crime has been observed. This paper examines four communities at three points in time to assess the causes of shifting fear of crime. Results indicate that measures of contextual change, individual social integration, and criminal victimization influence fear of crime more than do individual compositional variables. 4 tables, 36 references. (Author abstract modified).