This paper studies the trend in agricultural output, employment and wages; examines the patterns and dimensions of RNFE; identifies the major factors in explaining variation in the RNFE; and studies regional differences in the role of its various determinants. On the basis of the analysis of data of all the 70 districts of Uttar Pradesh collected from 1991 and 2001 Censuses with corresponding data on various determinants, the study presents strong evidence of disparity in the RNFE across regions. The empirical results confirm that the variations in density of population, rural literacy, urbanisation, and infrastructure in terms of road and power significantly affect the RNFE. The study also finds that agriculture-related factors (irrigation, cropping intensity, farm mechanization, per rural worker net sown area, etc.) play a viral role in determining variations in the RNFE. A comparison of determinants of the RNFE in the Western Region (WR) and the Eastern Region (ER) evinces that non-agriculture factors are more dominating in the ER while agriculture related factors are more effective in the WR.