Rural households have more purchasing power than do urban households at the same income level, since some of the income urban and suburban households use for food and shelter can be used by the rural households for other needs. Which of the following inferences is best supported by the statement made above?

Option 2 : Rural households have lower food and housing costs than do either urban or suburban households.

Option 1 is not an inference because the passage simply states the difference between the purchasing power of rural and urban households. It is not discussing the number of people.

Option 2 is an inference because the passage clearly states that the higher purchasing power of rural households can be attributed to the fact that urban and suburban households have higher food and housing costs. Conversely, rural households have lower food and housing costs.

Option 3 would be a wrong inference because the difference has been cited between rural households on one hand and urban and suburban households on the other.

Option 4 cannot be inferred because no information about the median income of the households has been provided.