purpose: this paper aims to compare and rank the allocative efficiency of information resources in rural areas by taking 13 rural areas in jiangsu province, china as the research sample.

design/methodology/approach: we designed input and output indicators for allocation of rural information resources and conducted the quantitative evaluation of allocative efficiency of rural information resources based on cross-efficiency model in combination with the classical ccr model in data envelopment analysis (dea).

findings: cross-efficiency dea model can be used for our research with the objective to evaluate quantitatively and objectively whether the allocation of information resources in various rural areas is reasonable and whether the output is commensurate with the input.

research limitations: we have to give up using some indicators because of limited data availability. there is a need to further improve the cross-efficiency dea model because it cannot identify the specific factors influencing the efficiency of decision-making units (dmus).

practical implications: the evaluation results will help us understand the present allocative efficiency levels of information resources in various rural areas so as to provide a decision making basis for formulation of the policies aimed at promoting the circulation of information resources in rural areas.

originality/value: little or no research has been published about the allocative efficiency of rural information resources. the value of this research lies in its focus on studying rural informatization from the perspective of allocative efficiency of rural information resources and in the application of cross-efficiency dea model to evaluate allocative efficiency of rural information resources as well.