The ambiguity of the concept "human capital" determines a great deal of approaches aiming at its measurement. The lack of a comprehensive assessment of the rural human capital development associated with its differentiation is currently extremely acute and considerable difficult. Firstly, existing methods do not always determine the level of human capital and the conditions for its formation. Secondly, they include various indicator systems that are difficult to interpret when analyzing. In this regard, the results of such assessments lead to significant differences in the amount of human capital and, accordingly, the inability to take managerial actions for its normal reproduction considering the conditions of formation. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to develop a methodology based on a grade-rating assessment of the level of human capital of rural territories considering its elements, the conditions for its formation and testing, which in the context of regions using cluster analysis revealed the types of rural territories with varying degrees of balance. The practical application of the developed methodology made it possible to determine both the leading and the outsider regions, which will help the authorities to make timely management decisions to even out the situation.
Keywordshuman capital, rural territories, point-rating assessment, level and conditions of human capital development, differentiation of rural territories.I.