Rural communities in Romania is mostly characterized by an aging population, declining birth rates and dependence on agriculture, especially the subsistence or semi-subsistence. Sources of income are reduced due to the low number of jobs and have major implications on quality of life in rural communities. Therefore, local authorities should be concerned about the development of their localities and improving the quality of life through the successful implementation of development programs and projects. The purpose of this paper is to find the most favorable paths of development for rural communities in the western region, which is facing major challenges such as: lack of jobs, low incomes for the population, noting that there are large discrepancies in the West Region economic development of the various counties that make up the region. Based on analyzes and case studies, the authors present the main aspects of rural areas in the region, noting that local authorities should be concerned with the development of their localities through the successful implementation of development projects. The authors concluded that the development of non-agricultural diversification and determine employment growth and hence increase the quality of life in rural communities.